


We Pretend it's Alright

by Diamondgirl3



Series: Night After Night [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Dark, F/F, F/M, Family, Violence, trial
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-19
Updated: 2016-01-17
Packaged: 2018-04-27 04:43:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 36,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5034178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diamondgirl3/pseuds/Diamondgirl3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Anakin Skywalker, you stand accused of murder of four individuals, including Former Chancellor Palpatine of the galactic republic, and three Jedi Master, and seriously injuring another Jedi Master- Mace Windu. How do you plead to these charges?"<br/>The massive chamber was silent, thousands waiting for the man they had already condemned to respond.<br/>"Not guilty." Anakin answered, his voice monotonous, ignoring the instant uproar. His eyes locked with the judge, refusing to let himself be intimidated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. My Fault

_**Chapter One** _

_**My Fault** _

_**Words- 5,810** _

_**_**We Pretend it's Alright** _ ** _

"It's my fault."

Padme started when she heard the voice behind her, barley more than a whisper. She had been so absorbed in the news on the holo, she hadn't noticed anyone come in, but she recognized his voice immediately. A simile broke out over her face. It had been a few weeks since she has heard that voice. The young senator promptly stood up and turned to see the tired, tearstained face of Anakin Skywalker staring past her at the wall through dead eyes. What had happened? Padme stood in shock for a few second, taking in Anakin's numb expression and his eyes, which were speckled yellow. His eyes were what was frightened her. His eyes started in nothingness, gazed over and glassy. There was something about this that reminded her of something, and then it hit her. She had once before seen him like this.

Padme had sat up hours waiting for Anakin to return. Sitting in at the kitchen table in the home of the Lars family, she stared at the plain brown table all evening and into the night, terrified she would never see him again. Sometime in the early morning, she had heard a noise from outside, and quickly went out to see if Anakin had returned. He had walked past her, his mother's body in his arms, with the same dead look in his eyes, almost as if he wasn't seeing what was happening around him. She had later talked to him in a workroom, and he after telling her what he had done, he had gone into the same trance, and wouldn't respond, seeming to not notice her attempts her draw him out of it. Eventually, she had just placed her hand on his, and sat in silence next to him for a while, until he snapped out of it. After, he broke down, crying in her embrace. Never before had she felt anyone so vulnerable and broken, and it affected her in a way she didn't know was possible. Seeing that look in his eyes again meant only one thing.

"Anakin?" She asked cautiously, taking a step closer him, examining his face carefully. "Ani, can you hear me?"

Anakin made no response, and continued to stare past her, muttering under his breath something inaudible. She took another step closer, her long sundress trailing behind her. A few steps closer and she could hear the phrase he was repeating over and over again.

"It's my fault. It's my fault." Anakin repeated, the volume of his voice increasing from a whisper to normal volume, still it seemed unaware of anything around him. "It's my fault.  
It's my fault."

Padme was now standing in front of him and cupped his face with her small, supple hands. The transfixed man didn't acknowledged her touch and continued to repeat "It's my fault", his voice growing steadily louder, his body starting to tremble.

"What happened to you Anakin?" She murmured more to herself than him, caressing his blank face. Anakin did not show any confirmation that he could hear or feel anything but continued to reiterate his words.

"It's my fault! It's my fault! It's my fault!" He was now screaming, an anguished expression replacing the blank one, and his eyes still void, but welling up with tears. His body trembled violently, his hands especially violently. Padme grabbed them, and tried to hold them still in her own, but he pushed her away roughly, causing she fall to the ground. She gasped in pain and shock, having braced her enlarged body with her wrists, and shocked he had pushed her.

"Anakin stop!" She screamed, as he kept shaking violently, now wrenching his long hair, still screaming. "Stop! You're hurting yourself!"

Nothing changed, but he pulled on his hair harder, screaming and shaking, eyes glistening with tears, and Padme felt her heart break. It hurt her so much to see him like this.  
"You're hurting me Anakin!" she cried desperately, tears now falling freely, "Stop please! You're hurting me." Her voice broke, and she threw herself against his chest, knocking them both to the ground.

The two crashed to the ground, Padme's impact braced by Anakin's body beneath her. Anakin froze on impact, his actions ceasing. Padme slumped against his body, crying into his shirt. Anakin eyes were changing, the yellow disappearing and the life returning to them. After they fully returned to normal, he stared to blink rapidly and rubbed his eyes, as if he had just woken up. Feeling movement, Padme raised her head, staring into his eyes, which were once again blue

"How do you feel?" She asked carefully, her face inches above his, not breaking eye contact. His eyes darted from side to side, then back to hers, a dazed look on his face.

"What did I do?" He murmured, gazing worryingly up at her. Had he hurt her? Why were they on the floor? The memories of what had happened then flooded his mind, and he closed his eyes in pain.

Anakin gently lifted Padme off him, and stood up, facing away from the one of the only people he completely trusted. Staring at the door, he was unable to fathom what exactly had just happened to him, but knew he would be unable to explain it to Padme right now. He clenched his eyes shut, and ran a rough hand through her tangled hair.  
Had it all really happened? He felt as if he was a dream… he must be. There was no way what had happened in the chancellor's office was real, it must have been an illusion, a result of his lack of sleep. But it was all so clear, and he knew deep down it was all real, and now the events replayed in his head slowly and painfully. Every time he thought of Mace Windu falling out the window, or of Palpatine's shrieks of "You need me to save her! She will die and it will be your fault! YOUR FAULT!" The memory was too fresh, too painful. Trying to explain everything that had happened to Padme was not something he believed he could do, as he was still struggling to comprehend and come to terms with it himself.

From the floor, Padme stared at the back of Anakin's tall form perplexed, not even knowing what to say. What could she say? She had no clue where he had been, or what had happened, but it was clearly something traumatic. But then Anakin started to shuffle slowly towards the door, and she called out, "Anakin Skywalker, don't you dare take another step."

Her words rang clearly across the room, and Anakin halted in his steps, her words resonating in his mind. What was he thinking, walking away? He should know by now that’s not how their relationship worked. Communication is key, he knew, for Padme had drilled this into his head over and over again, and he subconsciously made his choice, not really even knowing he had done so. He would not run away from his problems right now, as much as he wanted to. He would shut himself away as he had before, he was past that. They were past that. Together they would get through this and come out stronger he knew, but first he had to turn around.

Padme couldn't honestly say she had any clue what was going through her husband's head, but she certainly hoped it involved talking to her, for communication is key, and with no communication, there cannot be improvement. After half a minute, Anakin turned around, and walked back over to her, knelling down beside her, and letting his gaze fall to the ground.

"I going to help you baby, ok?" Padme murmured, placing her hands on his shoulder, and he looked up at her, his eyes wet, but clear now. He still wanted to disappear, to never have to relive or try to explain the past hour of his life to anyone, not even Padme. But after all he had put her through; she deserved explanations more than anyone, painful as it would be for him. The Jedi stood up, and then offered the pregnant senator his hands, pulling her to her feet as well. Anakin wrapped his arm around her shoulders, keeping her body close his.

"Shall we go to kitchen?" Padme suggested softly, and Anakin nodded, taking Padme's hand, and letting her lead them out of the sitting room, a slight aura of anticipation surrounding them. Padme knew something major had happened to cause this psychotic break. A part of her wondered if this had something to do with their relationship. Could the Jedi of found out about them, or about the pregnancy. Had they expelled him from the order?

"Anakin," She started hesitantly as they walked, glancing back at his downcast face. He didn't reply, but continued to stare at the ground, long hair covering his face from her view. she waited until they had entered the kitchen, and had settled down in the breakfast nook.

"Ani," Padme tried again, squeezing his hand gently."What happened to you Ani?" She brushed his dirty blond hair behind his ear, off his face, and gently guided him to sit upright. She left her other hand on his and she took in his expression. "What's over?"

"Everything." Anakin needed to shut himself off, it was all surfacing again. Too many feelings and recollections washing over him. The bodies lying on the floor when he entered, their blood pooling on the floor. The sight of Mace Windu falling through the window was on repeat in his mind, and that feeling… that overpowering feeling of power and loss of self that terrified him. He just needed it to stop, but instead he would have to control it, for communication was key, and now it was time in communicate, like a normal being did.

"I think you're going to have to elaborate honey." Anakin nodded, and looked down at the floor again.

"I want to help you Anakin, but I don't know how if you don’t talk to me, and explain to me what has happened to you."

"I know Angel; I just don't know how to start." He murmured, finally looking up to look at the woman next to him.

Padme's level of distress was now reaching a breaking point, and she could no longer conceal it. She had no idea where Anakin had been for the past few hours, or what had happened to him. He wasn't acting at all like himself, and she didn't know how to break through to him.

"I hurt people Padme. I was so close too, I'm not even sure what happened." Anakin clenched his eyes shut for a minute before shaking her hands off and standing up. "But I do know that I'm to blame. Everything is my fault." Tears pricked his eyes again as he walked over to the small window above the sink, and stared out towards the brightly light senate building, flashing lights surrounding the top floor where he knew the bodies of one Sith lord and three Jedi masters were being discovered. Sighing he closed his eyes and shut the curtains with a flick of his wrist, unable to look at that building. He turned back to face Padme, shame in the eyes that meet hers, and took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm scared that I wasn't in control, and I'm scared that it could happen again."

Padme stared in shock at him, confusion, frustration, and fear bubbling up inside her. "What happened Anakin?" She asked again, standing up slowly.

When no reply came, frustration won out, and she stormed over to the silent man, and made fierce eye contact. After a few seconds of staring intensely into each other's eyes, Anakin broke down and fell to his knees, all the pent up fear, remorse, and self hatred overcoming him.

"It's all my fault." He uttered, tears streaming out of his clenched shut eyes. "I fell for it, I wasn't strong enough to stop him He promised to save you, but I was the one who was going to hurt you, I can see it now! I was blinded by anger and fear and I hurt you, and now they are dead because I can't control my emotions, and I just can't DO IT ANYMORE!" His voice had gotten progressively louder as he spoke and was screaming by the time he finished. It was all just too much to bear anymore.

Padme was frozen in place, standing over the crumpled form of the young Jedi. This wasn’t about their relationship, but what he said scared her more. Shaking herself slightly, she knelt down beside him, and cupped his face with her hands, tears pooling up against them. "Anakin my love, what do you mean? What did you fall for? Who's dead?"  
"The chancellor and Masters Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, Saesee Tiin, and maybe Mace Windu."

She stared at him in shock at the news she had just heard. What the hell was Anakin going on about? "You need to explain what has happened Ani, ok?" she squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, and slowly stood up, deciding to make a pot of coffeine, knowing this was going to be a long night.

They waited in silence for the pot to brew, and once it was complete, Padme poured two mugs fulls, taking hers black and adding milk and sugar to Anakin's, the way he liked it. She walked back over to the nook and handed the Jedi his, before sitting down on the bench next to him.

"Thanks." He murmured, staring into the mug. "I'm going to try and explain everything." He added, taking a sip of coffeine, and relaxing into the cushion around him, and putting an arm around Padme, why laid her back against his chest.

Padme could see he was relaxing, and felt it best not to push too hard, as he was obviously very emotionally unstable. But that didn't stop the burning curiosity inside her, and she was eager to hear his story.

"Well, I, erm, I guess I should start at the beginning, yes?" He looked to her for approval, and when she nodded, and he continued, his voice hoarse. " Right, well for a few months, ever since you told me you were pregnant, I've been having these nightmares, like the ones I used to have about my mother before she died. It's always the same too. It's you and you're giving birth, but it's all wrong and you're dying, and until tonight I've been convinced that you are going to die in childbirth. "

Padme sat up, and turned to look at him, shock in her eyes. "You had more? I thought we agreed you would tell me Ani."

Anakin looked down at his hands, ashamed. "I know, I'm sorry love, but I didn't want to scare you."

Padme gave him a sad smile and ran her hand through his look hair. "Don't hesitate to tell me if this happens again? We can't hide stuff like this from each other, ok?"

"I promise." Anakin took her hand and squeezed it gently, looking into her hazel eyes and giving a slight smile in return.

"Thank you Ani, now will you please continue, I'm still so confused." Padme replied, and Anakin nodded, turning his body so he could sit across from her.

"Well after I started having these dreams, Palpatine and I grew closer, and he started to tell me of a commander of the force, who could stop death. I became obsessed with the  
idea, and researched day and night, but there was nothing about it in the Jedi archives. "

"That's why you've been missing a lot lately." Padme realized, thinking sadly of all the time together they had missed because of this.

Anakin hung his head. "Yes, I'm sorry I was so sure until tonight."

"Ok, so what happened tonight?"

"I went to the chancellor's office, and he revealed to me that he was the Sith lord Darth Sidious the Jedi have been searching for. He told me I would become his apprentice. He knew about us too, and my dreams. He told me only he knew how save you, and he would teach me how if I was his apprentice. But I refused, and I left to tell the council about him. I didn't want to turn to dark side, I couldn't."

He looked up to see Padme staring at him with wet eyes.

"Oh Ani." She whispered, wiping her eyes.

Anakin continued, needing to finish before it became too much again.

"Four masters went, including Windu. I wanted to go too, but Windu told me to stay behind. I tried to wait, but after twenty minutes, I couldn't take it anymore. I flew up to the chancellor's chambers and I arrived to find Master's Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin all dead, and Windu had Palpatine backed into a corner against a large window. "There were tears rolling down his cheeks again, but he didn't stop.

"They both demanded that I help them, Windu told me he was too dangerous to be kept alive, but I needed him and I told him them. Palpatine told me to think of you, and that I needed him to save you, or that you would die a death full of pain and suffering. I froze; I didn't know what to do." His voice had been monotone throughout the whole story, but now he looked up, and a smile was playing on his tear stained face.

"But then I thought of you, and what you would do if turned to the Dark side. It would hurt you so much, and I couldn't hurt you like that. I realize now that maybe that's what the dreams were warning me of, but Sidious was manipulating me, and I lost control of myself. "

"I told Windu I was with him, but in the moment he looked away at me, Sidious hit him with force lightning, and he fell through the window." Anakin took a calming breath, closing his eyes for a minute, and trying not to imagine Windu falling again. After a few seconds he continued.

"I engaged Sidious and we dueled for a while, I the stronger of us two. The whole time he was screaming about how I was killing you by not joining him, and how I was destroying the balance of the force. Finally, I don't really know what happened, but I yelled enough, and he was thrown back against the concrete wall, and... And," He hesitated, not know quite what to say.

"I'm not really sure, but I think he died on impact. There was a lot of blood, and his neck looked weird, and he was an old man..." Anakin shrugged, again purposely not looking at Padme. He really didn't want to know what she must think of him by now.

"I think the force reacted to me, and threw him, but I've never been able to do that before, Anyways, I left after that, I couldn't stand to be in there one more second. I don't know what happened to Windu..." He broke off again, not sure what to say anymore, and Padme squeezed his hand comfortingly

"I just… I've just never gone that dark before. I was so close to turning to the dark side, I could feel it Padme, I was so close." He couldn't bear to meet her gaze, he was so ashamed, so scared of what he had almost become, of what he had been almost capable of. "I just… What if I'm not able to beat it next time?" Anakin whispered, "What if I hurt you, or the baby." He looked down worriedly at her large stomach, some part of him wondering what would become of this child now.

Padme didn’t respond, but took his hand, and placed it on her stomach. Little kicks thumped against Anakin's large hand, and his eyes became wet. What if he hurt this precious little life?

"I trust you Anakin." She said firmly, her other hand directing his face back to hers, staring into his watery eyes. "I trust you with my life, and with our children." She smiled, his worries dissipating for now.

"Okay?"

"Okay." He smiled, and looked at her stomach again. It was quite big he mused, even for seven and half months. But hey, what did he know? He was a Jedi, not a doctor. It's not like he was around many pregnant people after all. Then something dawned on him.

"Did you say children?" Anakin asked curiously, looking confusedly at Padme, whose smile widened, and she giggled.

"I was waiting to tell you till I say you in person." She started, giggling at Anakin's raised eyebrow.

"We are going to have to think of two names now." She hinted, wondering if he would figure it out, but he still stared at her, no clue what was going on. "For someone so smart, you sure are stupid Anakin." She snorted, rolling her eyes, a smile still on her lips.

"I am honestly so confused." Anakin admitted, smiling confusedly.

"Twins Anakin." Padme said flat out. "We are going to have twins."

Anakin's mouth fell open, and he stared wide eyed, looking back and forth between Padme and her pregnant belly, Padme laughing at his reaction.

"Are you joking?" He said hoarsely, placing his other hand on her stomach, and gazing at in wonder.

"I'm serious Ani." She giggled, placing her hands over his, and meeting his gaze. "We are having twins!"

Anakin's smile widened, and for the first time in a long time, he felt pure joy surging through him, the circumstances of their lives temporarily forgotten. None of it mattered in this moment.

"I love you so much Padme." He breathed, caressing her face. "I don't think I could survive without you."

"Me neither Ani." Padme beamed, leaning in and passionately locking lips with her husband.

Separating a few seconds later, Anakin stood up, and despite Padme's insistence that she was too heavy, easily scooped her up in his arms, carrying her bridal style into the living room, sitting down with her on his lap and resuming the kiss. They became lost in each other, happy to be in each other's company, uninterrupted. No one brought up the matter at hand, as it meant that they would have to return to the real world, and who knew what trials and tribulations that would entail. The soon-to-be-parents needed a little time to breathe before that.

The front door is suddenly thrown open, and Senator Bail Organa walked in talking loudly. "Padme! I've been trying to reach you for hours! You weren't answering your- oh." He broke off as he noticed the couple on the couch, and all three froze, staring at each other in shock.

Anakin was the first to move, gently lifting Padme off his lap, and onto the couch, before standing up, and helping Padme to her feet as well.

"Hi Bail." Padme said awkwardly." And sorry about my comm, it's been off…" She trailed off, not really sure what to say.

"Oh, Of course." He nodded to Anakin. "Master Skywalker."

Anakin grimaced at the use of the title "master". I will never deserve that title. "Senator. And I'm just a Jedi Knight actually."

Bail nodded again, trying to conceal his curiosity. "My mistake."

Anakin forced a smile, "No worries." He turned to Padme, taking her hands in his and saying, "I must return to the Temple, they are no doubt looking for me."

Padme nodded sadly, and tears pricked her eyes. She didn't know when she would next see him, and that thought scared her.

"Hey now," Anakin pulled her into an embrace, wiping away her tears, and whispering in her ear, "I'll see you tomorrow, I promise my angel." Padme squeezed him tight, and then let go, nodding.

Seeing the doubt, Anakin cupped her face, and raised her gaze to his. "I mean it Padme, you will see me tomorrow, and I swear it. Okay?" He assured her, keeping his eyes locked on hers, the two completely forgetting about the very confused and uncomfortable senator feet away.

"Okay." She agreed, before leaning in for a brief kiss. Breaking it, Anakin walked out the still open door, nodding to Bail, who was staring at him in complete astonishment.  
Padme stood staring at the closed door, worry in her eyes.

"Padme?" Bail finally spoke, confusion in his deep voice.

She shook herself out of the trance, telling herself that Anakin would be fine; he's a Jedi, not a helpless kid. "Sorry Bail, you must be so confused. Please come sit down." She sat back down, Bail joining her. An uncomfortable air settled amongst them, neither quite knowing what to say. Breaking the silence Padme asked, "What was it you wanted to talk to me about Bail?"

"Ah, Oh yes of course." Bail shook his head slightly, reminding himself of the reason he was so frantic to get in touch with the former queen in the first place. "I don't know if you’ve heard or not, but the Chancellor has been murdered in his office, as well as three Jedi Masters."

Padme nodded. "Yes I have heard." But said nothing more. She didn't know what had been discovered yet, and didn’t want to say anything that might incriminate Anakin.

"Do you know anything else about it? No one knows what happened, but another Jedi master was also found on the street, and is in critical condition. The authorities think he was thrown through the window, but they have no clue how he could have survived that." Bail took a breath before continuing. "Anyway, they think the Jedi and the chancellor were having a meeting, when another broke in and murdered them all."

Padme kept all her emotions in check, and played the part of the confused Senator, asking "What proof of that do they have?"

Bail shrugged, not seeming to know much. "They have security footage of the Jedi entering, and later another hooded figure entering, then ten minutes later leaving. There are no security cameras inside the chambers so they don’t know what happened. They are currently trying to figure out why the cloaked figure is which they should soon, and then a galaxy wide manhunt is to commence to find this murderer- ". Bail continued talking, but Padme didn’t register what he said. She sat back in shock, a newfound wave of fear washing over her. Anakin.

"And tomorrow they are having an emergency temporary election for chancellor, whom I am running for; I trust I will have your support." He prompted, giving her a questioning look when she didn't respond. "Padme?"

She suppressed her worried thoughts yet again and Bail an apologetic smile. "Yes of course I will support you. Sorry I've been a little distracted; it's been a long night."

Bail nodded, and started mentally debating whether or not to ask his friend about a certain Jedi that she seemed to have grown close too.

Seeing the expression on his face, and not wanting to leave the issue to the imagination of her guest, Padme acknowledged the question she knew Bail wanted to ask.  
"I'm guessing you're curious about Anakin, right?"

"Very." Bail blurted out, and then looking a little embarrassed, composed himself, and replied, "If you wish to enlighten me, I would appreciate it."

Padme rolled her eyes at her fellow senator's formalness, but went ahead anyway and "enlightened" him.

"Well I can't tell you much, because of what might happen. Just don't worry about it too much, and if you didn't mention it anyone, I would appreciate that a lot." Padme looked questioningly at him, and he nodded. "But I really can't tell you more Bail, sorry." She added quickly, seeing the questions starting to form on his lips. "I understand." He promised, and a silence fell over the two.

After a few seconds, Bail couldn't contain himself, and asked, "May I ask you one thing Padme?"

Padme debating for a few seconds, staring around the room and wondering what he wanted to ask. Finally she nodded, answering, "You can ask but I can't promise I will answer. Understood?"

The older Senator nodded, and then hesitated, not sure she would answer, or if the question was too personal.

"Is Skywalker the father of your child?" He inquired, watching her face carefully.

Padme sighed and closed her eyes. Of course he wanted to know that. Ever since she had revealed to him that she was pregnant a few weeks ago, unable to hide it from him as she saw him too often, all he asked was about her pregnancy.

"I can't answer that Bail."

But he had already concluded that the Jedi was indeed the father. Based on her reaction, and what he had seen tonight, he had inferred that this wasn't a recent development, he was quite positive his colleague was pregnant with some little Jedi babies.

"If you say so." Bail replied nonchalantly, looking out the windowed-wall, towards the justice building, which was light up, and surrounded by flashing lights. "I wonder if they figured out who the hooded-murderer is." He mused, taking in the distant activity outside the massive building. "Who knows? I can't say I'm too sad about the chancellor, but don’t quote me on that." Bail offered a smile, and they laughed quietly. Taking a deep breath, and he stood, Padme following suit, as he started to walk towards the front door.  
'Well, thank you Bail for letting me know, and please tell me if there are any developments." Padme forced a smile and nodded to her fellow senator as he replied that he would of course and left.

Closing the door after him, Padme turned, and collapsed against it, slumping to the ground, and trying to keep back the tears welling up in her eyes. If they arrested Anakin, she didn't know that she would do. There was no evidence to prove history, and who would believe him? The only person who could maybe confirm his story was in intensive care, and who knew when or if he would be able to testify, or if he would even stand by Anakin. Padme took a deep breath to try and calm herself and struggled back onto her feet by pulling herself up using the door handle. Her stomach made it impossible to do anything it seemed.

She made her way to kitchen, and washed the two mugs. Hers was blue and had the words "Night after night, It'll be alright" painted on it, and Anakin's was purple with the phrase "Seventh Best Commander" on it. He had received the hand-painted mug from Ahsoka, his former padawan, for his birthday two years ago, and in return, he had painted her one that said "Fourteenth Best Padawan" last year, shortly before she left the Jedi Order. Padme knew how much the mug meant to Anakin, especially since he hadn't heard from his former padawan in the past year. She knew he blamed himself for Ahsoka leaving, and how much her absence still hurt him.

Padme's mug Anakin had made the same time he made Ahsoka's, and she cherished it. Whenever she read it, she could hear him saying it, and truthfully when he had given it to her; she had been surprised he had thought of something so poetic. Later, he revealed to her that the lady who owned the shop where he had painted them had helped him with the first part, as all he had was "It'll be alright", and thought it was missing something.

She set the mugs on the drying rack, and left the kitchen, turning off the lights as she did. She walked through every room in the house, turning off the lights in each and closing the blinds. After finishing, the pregnant woman, decided that a soothing bath was just what she needed, and proceeded to turn on the water, and light lavender scented candles around the tub. She sat on the rim, waiting for it to fill, and pouring in lavender bath soap. When the tub was filled to the brim with bubbly hot water, she took off her nightgown, and slowly submerged her achy body. Laying her head back on the rim, a folded towel under her neck, she closed her eyes.

Now she dreamt. She dreamt of a world where she wasn't constantly worried about Anakin. Where he would be here with her, instead of being far away fighting wars and having the weight of the world on his shoulders. She dreamt of them out in the world as a family, not having to hide anymore. But this wasn't the world they lived in.  
Padme opened her eyes. What were they going to do when the babies came? They had loosely talked about it, but never actually addressed the problem, neither of them knowing what they were going to do. They had barley three months till they would be born, and no idea of what was going to happen after.

She soaked for an hour, got out of the tub and dried off. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she went to her room. Turning on some quiet, soothing music, she got in bed, and tried to get comfortable, putting a pillow under her aching lower back. For an hour she lay in bed, willing sleep to come to her, but it wouldn't. Alone with her thoughts she tried to work out a best case scenario of what could happen when the babies was born. It involved Anakin staying over weekends and visiting twice a week. But she knew that wasn’t realistic, and honestly she just hoped Anakin could manage to visit once every other week. But with all the missions he was sent out on as one of the top commanders, it wasn't a guarantee.

She tried to avoid thinking about was what would happen if the authorities found out Anakin was the hooded man from the security footage. She couldn't afford to think that way, but after a while, she was unable to suppress it and thoughts came flooding up. If Anakin was arrested, she had no idea how to prove his innocence. They would lose a trial, then what? Anakin would be convicted of the murders of the chancellor, and three or four Jedi masters. She couldn't imagine a way he wouldn't be executed. And where would that leave her? Alone with two babies and her other half gone? She shook her self, willing the thoughts to go away, and for her mind to let her sleep.


	2. Masters

_**We Pretend it's Alright** _

_**Masters** _

_**Words- 4,515** _

_**We Pretend it's Alright** _

Anakin nodded to Senator Organa stiffly, while brushing past him out the door. He walked down the long narrow hallway, hearing the quiet slam of Padme's apartment door. The hall possessed five other doors, spread out along the walls. At the end of the barley illuminated hall was a window stretching from floor to ceiling. Anakin stopped in front of the window, and gazed numbly out of it.

The city is alive tonight. Sirens screeching, lights flashing all around. His eyes were again drawn to the Senate building. The main event, illuminated for all to see. Staring out over the vast city, it felt so distant, so long ago. Had all of this really have happened only a few short hours ago? It seemed as if years had passed since he had seen Mace Windu fall out the window. Could he of survived that fall? Unlikely, but Windu was a Jedi master. Maybe he had a trick or two hidden up his long billowing sleeve. Or, had the sudden betrayal, loss of a hand, and electrocution left him too shocked to do anything. It was likely the latter, but Anakin forced himself not to focus on it anymore on it. He needed to get through the next few hours, and spiraling into a pit of self loathing and hate was not an option.

He turned away from the window. There were things that needed to get done now. Who knew how long he would be a free man? Though honestly, had he ever been…

Anakin turned to the emergency exit on the wall to the left of the window and opened it. Stepping outside onto a small platform that light up open his touch, the cold night air stung his weary body, and he repressed a shudder, trying to ignore the icy coldness filling his lungs. 

Activating the platform with two short stomps, it moved swiftly down the side of the building. Frigid wind whipped Anakin's long hair around, his heavy black robes flapped about him. The platform slowed as it approached the darkened street below. He leapt off ten feet above the ground. With the absence of his weight, the platform dimmed, and fled back up the side of the building. Drawing his hood over his face, the Jedi quickly blended into the hustle and bustle of the city streets, walking briskly down alleys and roads in till Padme's apartment building was nowhere in sight, towards the slums of the city. He was headed to the Factory district, the most dangerous and dilapidated. Anakin knew it well from the years of studying maps and exploring different prominent planets such as Coruscant, so as to know his way around. It was extremely helpful while chasing something, whether they knew the area or not.

The Jedi walked briskly from block to block, his eyes downcast, and hood covering his face. Whether he had been discovered to be involved in what had happened in the Chancellor's chambers or not, he did not know. It was better to stay out of busy areas regardless. Who knew how long in till they were searching for him, and he had a few things to do before dealing with an arrest. Anything he could do to protect himself and his family was the only thing important right now.

His family. Anakin pondered the phrase. It was no longer an idea, but a reality now. A family of his own; a concept that had been inconceivable to his younger self. Back when he was nothing but a young, lowly slave-boy. It seemed to like a lifetime ago now. The first nine years of his life had been spent as that slave, treated like an animal, out casted and looked down upon by all. All he had ever wanted was to be free, to have a real life for himself, no more masters or someone to control him.

The solution had come in the form of the Jedi. All the sudden he was freed from servitude, and off to become a Jedi! Other form of bondage he now realized. But he had never been happier. He was free, and going to become a Jedi, a new life of equality and opportunities. But from the minute he had arrived at the temple, he was told he didn't fit the criteria, that he was too full of fear. A young boy who had just left his mother and only place he'd ever been behind scared, imagine that! He had from then on craved approval of his masters, vowing to never fear anything, and to become as strong and powerful as he could. But he still craved the acceptance of other, to feel he truly belonged here, that he did have what it takes to be a Jedi master.

Master. There it was again. All he had ever wanted was to be free, a slave to no one. But being a Jedi was a different kind of bondage. He was accepted to act a certain way, follow the code, and be obedient to his masters. But he had never been fully accepted. He didn't fit in with his peers, some looked down on him for not starting his training so long after they had, while other's feared him.

The only Jedi he had ever been remotely close to besides Obi-wan and Ahsoka was Master Plo Koon. He had often looked to him for advice, and Plo Koon had been the one who advised the council to let Anakin train Ahsoka. Plo Koon had been the one to bring Ahsoka to the temple when she was an infant, and Anakin knew he thought of her as a daughter of sorts. After Ahsoka had left, Anakin often found himself talking or meditating with Plo Koon. It was comforting to be with someone who was going through what he was, and he knew Plo Koon felt the same. Anakin wondered what he would say about this situation. Surely he would believe him… wouldn't he? He hoped so. He needed people on his side, and right now it seemed Padme was he had.

There were a lot less streetlights in the Factory District, a clear sign of the disparity of wealth in this district. Anakin had to focus a lot more on his surroundings now. This level was full of criminals, and he wanted to fly under the radar tonight. The Galactic Police might already be looking for him and he wasn't quite ready to go yet.

Turning down a side road away from the center of the district, Anakin approached communication station. It was old and only half worked, but it was precisely what Anakin needed. After hacking into the system, Anakin activated a frequency offering a bounty for any information about the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. It was a bit of a long shot, but similar things had worked in the past for him on a smaller scale. Next, he sent out an ancient Jedi frequency only he and Ahsoka had used occasionally when they were in a tough situation with no other means of communication. He was doubtful she would intercept it or respond, but he had to try. He really needed her here, even if only to help and support Padme. Pulling his hood farther down his face, he was about to shut the system when a thought came to him. Quickly he searched for his own name, and couldn't help but feel a small bit of relief that there wasn't anything yet. There was a bid for anyone with information about the "Galactic assassination" as they were calling it, but nothing specifically about him. It seemed their only lead at the moment was that he was a tall cloaked figure. He shut off the station and swiftly walked away, starting his trek out of the district. Little did he know currently a droid that had seen his face walking out of the senate building had also just read that frequency, and was already on his way to the Police building?

Anakin needed to find Obi-Wan, to talk to him before he found out about this mess from another source. He needed to explain his side of the story, and to tell him everything, even about him and Padme, though he knew Obi already suspected him of being involved with Padme. A few times his formal master had not so nonchalantly mentioned the importance of following the Jedi code, and avoiding the formation of romantic attachments. But Obi-wan would stand by him, wouldn't he? Anakin dismissed the doubt immediately. Of course he would. Obi-Wan was like his brother, he would support him. But before any of this could happen, he needed to find Obi, and he had no idea where he was.

It took Anakin a little under an hour to make his way back out of the factory district, and to the top level of the city. He had intended to catch a train back to a station near the Jedi temple, as that would be another hour of walking versus a ten minute ride. The station loomed in front of him, appearing out of the artificial lighting. It was closed down, swarming with Galactic City Police. Anakin drew his cloak tighter around himself and shrunk back away from the brightly light platform.

"All public transportation on Coruscant is temporary closed when a city wide search for Anakin Skywalker is conducted. We apologize for the inconvenience. Anyone with information of Skywalker's whereabouts please contact the Galactic City Police immediately."

The recording blared out of Speakers all over the station, and a large picture of him on a huge screen where the ticket information usually was displayed glared down at everyone. He supposed they must have picked this photo because of the irritated expression he wore. He looked down right evil, and supposed that’s what they were going for. Turning the public against him before they even heard his side of the story.

Guess he was walking to the temple then.

 

 

_**We Pretend it's Alright** _

 

Padme finally few asleep in the early hours of the morning, and had about three hours of sleep, before being woken by Threepio, who was shouting for her while running through the house towards the bed room.

"Mistress Padme! Mistress Padme! You most certainly have to see this!"

Hearing the calls, she sat up as quickly as was possible, and had just stood up when the protocol droid entered the room, blocking the rising sun beams with her hand.

"What's going on Threepio?" Padme inquired sleepily as she pulled on her blue silk robe.

"It's Master Ani! He's on the Holo News! They are saying-"

But Padme heard no one as she pushed past Threepio, running as fast as her body would allow towards sitting room where the Holo projector that had been left on last night was still playing the Coruscant News.

As she drew closer, she started to hear the reporters' voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying. See-Threepio followed behind her, tittering worriedly. Padme finally reached the room and stood frozen in the doorway. The Holoprojector was on 2D mode, and on the wall was projected a clip of members of the military police escorting Anakin into the justice building, a stony look on his face. In the background Padme could the reporter saying, "The cloaked-murderer has been confirmed to Jedi Knight and Clone Wars General Anakin Skywalker, the "Hero with No Fear". He was taken in to Custody an hour ago after a city-wide hunt that lasted three hours. This is footage taken an hour ago at the justice department. Skywalker evaded capture for three hours, but eventually he was found on a Jedi docking bay, and forced to surrender." The screen flashed back to the reporters after the justice building doors shut behind the precession.

"How is the happening?" Padme murmured, zoning out as the news began to go into detail of the crimes he was accused of and the death of the Chancellor.

A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts, and she hastened to answer after covering herself in a robe. Who would be here so early?

Padme opened the door a crack to see Obi-Wan Kenobi on her door step, looking quite troubled.

 

_**We Pretend it's Alright** _

 

"Senator Amidala! Senator Amidala! Care to give a statement on the arrest of the General and Jedi, Anakin Skywalker?"

Padme disregarded the reporters as she was lead through the crowd in front of the justice building by a pair of guards designated to crowd control. Her arms subconsciously moved in front of her stomach. Large crowds and pregnancy were two things Padme did not like to mix. Someone could so easily bump into her stomach, and who knows what kind of damage that could potentially do? There was enough to worry about right now without possible pregnancy complications.

Padme had downed a large black robe over her over her deep purple gown, mostly hiding her belly and the playing her part of a senator grieving for her former mentor and leader of the republic. Thankfully she could get away with wearing whatever she needed to disguise her pregnancy as a senator, and most were none the wiser. Every now and then she would notice someone squinting curiously at her, but no one had dared to question her except for Bail. She had done her best to avoid going out in public as much as possible for the past three months, only attending meetings in person when absolutely necessary. Now seven and a half months pregnant, she couldn't really conceal it well, and hadn't been out much at all for the last month especially. Even with baggy outfits, it was still noticeable. There would surely be talk after today, but hopefully there was enough other news to keep the tabloids occupied.

"This way Senator Amidala." The guard in front of lead her up the monotonous gray steps to the immense stone doors of building, the other guard following behind them with Artoo. The first guard typed a code on a small panel next to the door, and took a step back, waiting. It was quite unusual for the justice building to be closed off to the public, but in the wake of the assignation of the supreme Chancellor of the republic, it was understandable that the building holding the accused murder on lock down.

"State your name and purpose." The brusque voice boomed out of a speaker on the panel, its tone harsh and gruff.

The guard shot Padme a quick look of distain, before turning back to the panel and holding down a small blur button, proceeding to answer, "Sir we have Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo here claiming she is Prisoner 95746's lawyer, and demanding to see him at once."

She noticed his tone of distain and contempt as he uttered Anakin's prisoner number, and she found herself thinking, was Obi-Wan right? Would no one believe Anakin was innocent? The public wanted vengeance for their beloved dead leader, would it matter to them if the accused was guilty or not?

"Let her through." The crackly voice replied, and the monstrous black door of the building swung open, allowing them access. "Madam Senator, this way please."

The guard led her through the open doors, which quickly shut behind her, blocking out all noises of the crowd behind her. It was eerily silent in the vast entrance hall. There were Clones everywhere, lining all walls and doors. They stood like statues, stiff and mute.

They had walked now more than ten feet into the building before they were stopped by a rather tall man, flanked by two guards. The tall man leading the group was dressed in a uniform similar to those of the guards, except for a badge of his right shoulder, signifying his higher rank.

"I'm sorry Madam Senator, but you cannot be allowed any farther as of now. You will be escorted to a private room to undergo security screenings, before you proceed down to the sublevels. Please follow me."

Padme did not respond, but nodded. They would be more inclined to let her through if she complied. She followed him down a side hall, and into a windowless room. The tall man showed her into the room, half her clone escort following her in, while the others guarded the door outside. The room contained basic security screening droids, machinery, and little more.

"I need to confer with security of the sublevels." He said to her, before turning to the clones and ordering, "Basic procedure." With that he left the room, the door closing sharply behind him.

After quite a few rounds of screenings, answering a few basic questions, and a whole lot of waiting, Padme was finally cleared to go downstairs. Ignoring the rising feeling of foreboding, Padme followed the four clone troopers that were escorting her to the sublevels of the building, where she knew criminals waiting for or in trial were contained. She herself had never been down past the second sublevel, as if was not usually her place to interfere with criminal cases. That's not to say she hadn't acted as a lawyer a handful of times, most notable for Ahsoka a year ago, when she was accused of bombing the Jedi temple. But even then most meetings were held on the first sublevel, even though Ahsoka was held on the third.

"Which level is Skywalker held on?" She asked casually, trying to seem as if she was just making friendly conversation.

"I am not at liberty to say Madam Senator." The clone to the right of her replied, as they reached an elevator.

Padme repressed the slight twinge of annoyance, and watched as the clone who had just spoken stepped forward, and after retrieving a small card from his utility belt, he held it up to a sensor next to the elevator doors. The sensor flashed green, and with a ding the elevator doors slid open.

"This way please."

The four clones and Padme all squeezed into the cramped elevator, two in front of her and two behind. The head clone punched something into a key pad, and the doors shut, the elevator moving swiftly downward. There was no screen displaying the floors as there normally would be, and an ominous feeling seemed have gotten in the lift with them. They stood in silence and Padme tried to once again found herself subconsciously wrapping her arms around her enlarged stomach, and pressed her lips tightly together, stifling a grimace as she felt one of the twins started to pummel her with light, little kicks. Even though having her insides beat-up wasn't especially pleasant, it was somewhat comforting. Just to know that her babies were alive and kicking was reassuring, and right now, she could use all the comfort she could get.

After almost minute, they stopped and the metal door slowly reopened. Outside them stood four more clones, two criminal guards, and a rather stout bald man wearing formal robes, and holding an air of self-importance around him. The two clones in front of her stepped aside, and Padme exited the elevator, the doors behind her then clinking shut, and the sound of the lift moving back upward could be heard.

"Senator Amidala, I must admit I received quite a surprise when I was informed you were on your way down to the high-security prisoner's today." The stout man spoke with a tone of superiority, and an artificial smile of his wide face. Padme instantly disliked him.

"Allow me to introduce myself." His smile widened, and she caught a glimpse of obscenely white teeth behind his thin lips. "I am Pronlin Olingen, Senior-Undersecretary to the esteemed warden of this facility, and Chief Warden of this level."

His smile hardened when she did not reply.She had no interest in this man, the only man here she wished to speak to was Anakin, and this was simply a ploy to try to gather information on him.

"Please walk with me Madam Senator." He held out him arm, and waved other hand to dismiss the six clones and the two guards.

"If you don’t mind Warden, I would prefer two clones to stay with us." Padme asserted icily, not moving an inch towards Olingen.

This was a classic power play, and Padme was not about to let her guard down, figuratively or literally. The Senior-Undersecretary's smile tightened, his thin lips turning white, and his pinched nostrils flaring. But nevertheless, he signaled two of the clones to say.

"Will this suffice?" He asked, a hint of mocking in his tone, but Padme smiled graciously, and started walking, brushing past him and the two clones following her.

"Perfect, my deepest thanks Senior-Undersecretary." She called behind her, as a spluttering Olingen hurried to catch up with her, elbowing his way past the Clones.

"Madam Senator, I understand that out have proclaimed yourself prisoner 95746's lawyer, but-"

"I have not proclaimed anything." Padme interrupted, trying to keep her voice even. "Mr. Skywalker has been my client legally for quite a while, and this case changes nothing."

This was technically true, as two years ago Anakin had "borrowed" a landspeeder while chasing a bounty hunter, and had been tried for stealing a vehicle. In the end he had only had to pay a fine, but he had still needed a lawyer and Padme had begrudgingly agreed. She was thankful now, as if she wasn't already technically his lawyer, there was no way she would have been able to see him today, and possibly not for weeks.

"Well Senator, If you follow me, I can take you to a room where you be permitted to meet with your client for a limited amount of time, as he is under the highest level of security due to him being a terrorist and mass murder."

Padme did not respond, though anger was bubbling up inside her red hot. But she knew that was the reaction he wanted out of her, and she refused to oblige to his wishes. He was just looking for an excuse to "have to escort her out", and there was no way she was going to let happen.

Padme walked in stony silence as Olingen continued to speak, and not a word of it registered in Padme's head. They walked down many long and twisting hallways, and eventually stopped in front of a large gray door with no window. Olingen unlocked the door with a quick scan of a card, and he ushered Padme inside. In room contained a small table and two metal chairs that looked very uncomfortable.

"Please wait here, and we shall bring prisoner 95746 shortly." He flashed her another rude smile, and steeped back out of the room. "Have a splendid day Madam Senator." He smirked at her before slamming the door shut.

Padme took her gaze off the closed door, and immediately looked around, scanning the room for any security recorders. There were none. In fact, the only thing in the room besides the table and chairs was a small clock on above the door. Supposing she might as well sit down, Padme gingerly sat down on one of the rickety chairs, thankful to be off her swollen feet.

She sat in silence as the minutes trickled by. One hour, then one more. What was this game they were playing with her? If Anakin was in interrogation, she had a right to be there as his lawyer and if he wasn't, where was he? That was honestly more worrying. She could forget that what her husband was actually being held for was mostly the assassination of the leader of the galactic republic, arguably the most important person in the universe. Knowing what she did, she forgot that the rest of the world didn't see the late chancellor as the evil creature he was. He was their adored leader, and had died a hero in public eye.

Where did that leave Anakin?

He is a well known war hero and Jedi knight, but that paled in comparison to Sidious. Would anyone honestly believe that the chancellor had been an evil sith lord, who had waged a war against himself to bring ruin through the galaxy into turmoil to eventually gain total control? Even thinking now, it was hard to believe, and that was as a high political member of society. Did most people even know what a Sith was? Unlikely, most were uniformed of the Jedi. A sharp jab pulled the Senator out of her thoughts, and she looked down at her stomach, a sad smile on her face.

"You are a pair of little fighters, aren't you?" She murmured, placing her hand over her abdomen, and feeling the light kicks tiny feet. "I forget there's really someone's in there sometimes." Would her children grow up without a father? Tears pricked her eyes, and she rapidly blinked them away. She would not cry right now.

Padme glanced up at the clock. Four hours she had sat there. She knew they were trying to wait her out, but what they didn't know was that she had waited years for Anakin. Four hours was nothing.

But then the door opened and a man in rags was shoved inside to the floor.

"Ten minutes." A guard barked, before slamming the door shut.

Padme quickly got to her feet, and knelled down besides Anakin, who was starting to stand up.

"Hey Angel." Anakin smiled, grimacing in pain as he got to his feet, before engulfing Padme in a tight hug she returned. "Told you I'd see you today, didn't I?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Back again with another chapter up. Any thoughts? The chapter was originally around 8,000 words long, but I moved Padme and Anakin's meeting to next chapter, along with a lighter flashback, as this story is getting pretty dense and I honestly just needed to write something in here a little lighter. Plus one of my favorites characters, if not my favorite, shows up sort of, so yay! But you'll just have to keep reading to find out, mwahahaha!   
> Also, I am aware that these first two chapters, and the next one, deal a lot with set up, but don’t worry. After this setup, the plot will really get going and will drive the chapters more than just the thoughts of the characters.   
> Thanks again for reading, and please review so I can see how you all are liking it, or if there is anything that didn’t make sense(I don’t always write this story in order, so I might of overlooked something here or there accidentally).  
> Till the next chapter!  
> -Diamondgirl3;)


	3. The feeling is Mutual

**_We Pretend it's Alright_ **

**_Chapter Three_ **

**_The Feeling is Mutual_ **

**_Words- 6,379_ **

**_We Pretend it's Alright_ **

"Hey Angel." Anakin smiled, grimacing in pain as he got to his feet, before drawn into a tight hug by Padme, though as he was in handcuffs, and he was unable to fully return it. "Told you I'd see you today, didn't I?" He chuckled at Padme's amused expression.

"Anakin if I wasn't so happy to see you right now…" But then she smiled back, honestly just so relieved to see him okay. Well, mostly ok. He was sporting a fresh black eye, and the corner of his mouth was bruised and discolored.

"Who did this to you Anakin?" She asked, touching his injures gently.

"It's nothing Padme," Anakin shook the words off, giving her reassuring smile, "Just a little roughing up from the interrogators, since I wouldn't speak to them."

"You haven't spoken to them yet?" She reiterated, raising a thin eyebrow.

"Not a word." He confirmed, still smiling and taking the hand on his face in his, and both walked over to the cold metal table, Anakin pulling the chairs next to each other so they could sit side by side.

"That's good. As your lawyer, I'm telling you not say anything to anyone in till I have the team of lawyers worked out, and you have one of us with you. I'm meeting with several tonight, and we will start your case by tomorrow morning hopefully." Padme explained, thinking over in her head who she was set with to meet later, and that she should probably head straight to her office after this.

"Padme, just please don't overdo it." Anakin started, "you are very pregnant, and with twins too. Please don't take on most of this yourself, and please take care of yourself Angel. You and the twins are number one for me."

Padme rolled her eyes, but beamed. "I'll be fine Anakin, it's you I'm worried about." Her smile then turned to a grimace as the babies started kicking again.

"What's wrong?" Anakin asked immediately, looking concernedly at her.

"It just the babies kicking." She smiled, placing his hand on her stomach so he could feel as well. "See? They must be excited to be with their daddy." She jested, looking down at her pregnant belly as well

A wide smile broke out over his face, and he staring mesmerized at her abdomen.

"I'm still amazed that there are two little people in there." He confessed, and Padme giggled at his expression, the reality of their situation lost to them for just a moment.

Anakin leaned in and kissed Padme lightly, before laying a kiss on her stomach as well.

"Padme I need you to promise me something." His eyes looked intently into hers, and he grasped both of her hands in his. "I need you to promise that if I don't make it out of this-"

"Anakin stop."

"If I don't make it out of this I need to know that you are going to move on, that you will do whatever you need to be happy-"

"Anakin."

"And I want you do whatever must be done to protect our kids and yourself, distance yourself from me-"

"Anakin-"

"Just please promise. Promise you will step away from me if need be, please. You and the twins are more important." There was a look of utmost sincerity and need in his eyes, and Padme found herself unable to speak. What could she say? She honestly couldn't think of a future without him in it, and that scared her more than she could say. But if that were to become a reality, could she really handle it? Anakin was her life, her other half… her family. Could she ever really move on?

No, didn't think she would ever completely move on, but she knew that if she had to, she could find happiness once again, for the sake of her children, their children.

"Padme?" He questioned, no idea what she would say, but hoping she would agree. It was a lot to ask, but if the worst did happen, he needed to know she would be able be manage, that she wouldn't limit or hold herself back because of him.

"I can't promise that I would ever really move on-"

"But-"

"Let me finish Anakin." She stopped him softly, and he feel silent immediately, his eyebrows scrunched worriedly.

"I don't think I would really ever move on, but I promise I could be happy again. But I will never hide or disguise you from our family's life, ever. Our children will grow up knowing the great man their father is, even if you aren't there to show them."

Small, sad smiles meet her words and now it was Anakin who found himself unable to reply.

"Alright?" Padme prompted, looking into his slightly clouded eyes.

"Alright."

"Okay, well we should probably go over a few things because I don't think we have that much time left." Padme glanced at the door, before looking back at Anakin. "Now because you are a Jedi, and Jedi were involved in this case, you cannot be tried by the republic before being tried by the Jedi council as you know. This means you should not say anything to anyone here before then. Do not react to anything no matter what they say. Their goal is get you to say what they want, so don't let them get to you. Can you do that?"

"Of course." Anakin answered at once. He was going to do what Padme told him, as he knew it was his best chance of getting out of this mess.

"I'm not sure what is going to happen with the Council, as I doubt you will be allowed to leave the Senate building, but they will also want to start this trial soon, so I would expect it soon. Now during your Jedi trial, I think you should tell them everything."

Anakin looked confusedly at her. "Everything, Padme what exactly does that mean?"

"I think you should tell them everything about that night, the chancellor and everything."

"Oh." He was quiet for a few seconds, before asking, "What about us?"

"What?" she looked confused, then it dawned on her. "Oh, you mean about your relationship?"

"How am I going to explain why I went back to stop the Jedi from killing Sidious without telling them about our relationship?"

"I…" Padme was lost for words. If Anakin told them he would surely be kicked out the order, but could they really expect their family to be a secret forever anyway? "I can't answer that Ani. The decision is yours to make, I support you either way."

A silence fell over the two, and Padme pulled Anakin into her arms once again, and Anakin focused on remembering what her embrace felt like, as he didn't know the next time he would get to see her.

"I'm going to miss you so much Padme in here. I love you." He whispered in her ear, squeezing her even tighter.

"Don't worry Ani, we won't be apart long, I promise." She murmured back, running her hand through his tangled hair. "And the feeling is mutual." She giggled, smiling as Anakin let out a laugh as well, both remembering the first time that phrase had been spoken.

* * *

 

"Snips, since you worked so hard on this last mission to the Outer Rim, and because we were gone for a month, you will have the rest of the week off. Enjoy your two day break, and don't bother me." Anakin finished quickly, before turning and starting back down the temple stairs, leaving his young Padawan at the top.

"What?" Ahsoka called after Anakin in astonishment, hurrying to catch up to him, and falling in step beside him. "What do you mean by 'Don't bother me'? Where are you going?"

"I am going somewhere you may not accompany me, and my instructions are for you to rest up. We have been on a mission for a month and there are some things I need to take care of now. Surely you have friends to visit or something." He quickened his pace, but so did she. Ahsoka wasn't going to be let herself be shaken so easily. She had only been his Padawan for three or so months, and she was still trying to figure him out. They got along really well, but he was just so secretive about something. Ahsoka had noticed he made private calls quite a lot, and she was quite curious as to who he was talking to. She couldn't help but wonder if that had anything to do where he was going.

"Master I am in no rush to get back to the temple, surely you could use some company." She smiled as he rolled his eyes, but she could see the amusement in his eyes too.

"Alright Snips, you can come with me know, but after this you are going back to the temple, understood?"

"Of course Master, thank you for bestowing this great honor upon my unworthy self." She laughed, a spring now in her step.

"Unworthy indeed." Anakin agreed, smirking at his padawan.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, Ahsoka asked nonchalantly, "So master, where are we going?"

"Don't call me master so much."

"Why?"

"I'm not a master, I don't own you."

"But technically you are my Jedi master, teaching me through your wisdom and experiences-"

"Well then technically I can tell you to call me master less often."

Ahsoka snorted. "Well anyway, you still didn't answer my question." She pointed out.

"We are going to the senate building, which you would have realized if you hadn't been so talkative."

"How would I of known that?" She retorted incredulity.

"Because we're here."

Ahsoka looked in front of her, actually taking in her surroundings, and did indeed notice he giant senate building about a hundred feet away.

"A Jedi is always watching Snips, always observing _silently_." Anakin stressed the last word, laughing at his padawan's unamused expression. "Now come on."

They walked to the building, and up the stone steps leading to the doors. Once inside, Anakin lead them over to a lift, pressing the button to bring it down to them.

"So, why exactly are we here anyways?" Ahsoka questioned, looking around the vast entrance hall.

"I have a meeting with a senator."

"Which Senator?"

The elevator had arrived, and the metal door slide open. The Jedi stepped inside, and Anakin pushed the button for floor seventeen.

"You ask a lot of questions Snips."

"Well, I wouldn't have to ask so many questions if you weren't so mysterious master." She noticed his face twitch at her use of master again and was intrigued, but didn't press the issue right now.

"I am visiting the Senator of Naboo if you must know."

"Padme Amidala?"

Anakin looked curiously at her. "How did you know that?"

"I've seen her seen her on the news before I guess." Ahsoka shrugged, "Why are you meeting with her."

"Jedi business, none of your concern."

"I'm a Jedi too, so that would make it-"

"Snips you are pushing it." Anakin interrupted, giving her a pointed look that clearly said "stop talking".

The elevator  _dinged_ and the door slide open once again, and both stepped out. In front of them was a long network of hallways that would have been very hard to navigate if you did not know your way around Ahsoka observed.

"Follow me." Anakin said, taking a right, and staring into the maze of hallways. He walked quickly, almost excited Ahsoka thought. He certainly knew his way around, and she couldn't help but wonder what he of all people would need to discuss with the Senator of Naboo.

After a few minutes they reached the end of a hallway with a single white door going off the left side of it. It was a corner office, and next to the white door a window stretched from floor to ceiling.

"Wait for me outside Snips, ok?"

"Alright." She answered, though she was still very interested in what "Jedi business" Anakin had with Senator Amidala. Without another word to her, Anakin typed in a code on a small panel next to the door, swiftly opening the door, and stepping inside, the door closing behind him, leaving Ahsoka alone in the hallway.

Deciding not to worry about the fact that his padawan was right outside, Anakin looked around the large office for Padme, and was surprised to find it completely empty. Frowning, Anakin glanced at the clock, and with a sigh realized Padme must be in session right now. Well, guess he would be waiting then.

The blond Jedi walked over to his wife's desk, and sat down on her cushioned chair behind the large desk. He glanced over the surface, looking for a schedule, and was not surprised to find one on top right hand corner where Padme always kept one. Picking it up and scanning over it, Anakin saw that she was currently in a full senate session, and it would be over a little under an hour, a perfect amount of time to meditate. He closed his eyes, and let his mind empty, his body becoming one with the force.

Outside the office, Ahsoka had plopped herself down on the ground, and now an hour after since her master had entered the Senator's office, she was staring to regret her decision to come along on this trip. She stared out the window, watching speeders and shuttles zoom past.

"Excuse me, can I help you with something?"

Ahsoka jumped, startled by the voice, and turned to see a young, slender, brunette woman looking at her concernedly. She felt like she had seen her somewhere before, but she didn't know where. The woman was dressed in an elaborate gown, and her hair was twisted into a tall updo. "Are you lost?" The woman asked, a friendly smile on her young face. "I know these halls can be hard to navigate."

Ahsoka quickly got to her feet, and replied brightly, "No ma'am, I'm not lost. My name is Ahsoka Tano and I'm a Jedi padawan. I'm waiting for my master to come out of a meeting with Senator Amidala, though he has been in there for an hour at least."

The woman smiled at her words, and then looked curiously at her. "Ahsoka did you say? Are you Anakin's padawan by chance?"

Ahsoka was surprised this woman was on a first name basis with her master, and even more that she seemed to know who Ahsoka was as well. "Um, yes ma'am, Anakin Skywalker is my master, and-" She broke off, and suddenly realized why this woman looked so familiar to her. "Wait a minute, aren't you Senator Amidala?"

Padme chuckled lightly, still smiling at Ahsoka. "I am, and you don't need to call me ma'am, Padme is just fine."

"Alright then." Ahsoka responded, and then something else dawned on her. "Wait, but then if you are out here, who is my master meeting with?"

"Let's find out." Padme beamed, typing in the entrance code, and then opening the door for herself and the young Jedi.

Ahsoka followed Padme inside, mildly confused, to find Anakin sitting at Padme's desk, his eyes closed and his eyebrows scrunched, as if he were deep in thought. Padme giggled, and one of Anakin's eyes peaked open. Ahsoka saw the smile that spread over his face when he saw Padme, but then saw it fall when he looked at her. Rude!

Anakin swiftly stood up, and walked over to the two women, a looked of forced calm on his face.

"Ahsoka, I believe I asked you to wait outside, seeing as you were so intent on coming with me, I didn't believe it would a challenge for you."

"But-"

"Regardless, you are here now. I take it you have met Senator Amidala?"

He was looking at Padme all throughout this exchange, unable to look away. He hadn't seen her in two months, as he had gone from mission to mission, the last being a month. She looked just as beautiful as ever with that radiant smile. He also curious as to what exactly had conspired between his wife and padawan.

"We have met." Padme confirmed, smiling at Anakin, and he could see the laughter in her eyes. "Ahsoka was just telling me how you left her in the hallway an hour ago to have a meeting with me, even though I was clearly not here."

Anakin looked away from her, a little sheepish. "Well I decided to just wait for you." Anakin defended himself. "I saw your schedule and figure it would be better to just wait then to come back at a later time."

"And that plan included letting me rot in that hallway?" Ahsoka added, giving her master a death glare.

"Snips, you were the one who wouldn't stop asking questions-"

"Only because you are so secretive!"

"I am not!

"Are too!"

"Alright that's quite enough." Padme cut in, giving each of the Jedi a look that neither dared to challenge, though she was truthfully quite amused. "Ahsoka, Anakin and I do have some, um,  _business_ to talk about, so I would appreciate it if you did wait outside for just a little longer, and please take a chair with you to sit on. I can't imagine the ground was all that comfortable. I promise it won't be too long."

Ahsoka smiled at the Senator, and nodded. "Sure thing Padme. Thanks for the chair!" Padme laughed as the padawan grabbed a chair from the corner, and exited, the door closing behind her.

Padme rounded on Anakin, who was looking at the door with his eyes narrowed.

"So that was Ahsoka?" Padme commented, smiling and walking over to Anakin. She pressed her body against his, and kissed him passionately, her hands in his hair, which she noticed was longer that it used to be.

"Yes it was." Anakin answered when they separated, Padme still in his arms, and he smiled down at her. "And she was being particularly noisy today so I decided to teach her a lesson."

"And that lesson was making her wait outside on the floor for over an hour?" Padme asked, laughing.

"It certainly was." Anakin grinned, kissing her again.

They walked over to a couch, and sat down, Padme in Anakin's lap. They talked for almost an hour, so wrapped up in each other the completely forgot about the annoyed young Togruta waiting outside, who was thinking of something else to call her master, as "Master" clearly bothered him on some level. In the couple's defense, they hadn't seen in each other a two months, and had only spoken for a few minutes here or there. The life of a Jedi was certainly not designed for relationships, for many reasons.

"Sorry I wasn't here when you got here. I've been so busy lately, I'm thinking of hiring an assistant."

"Feel free to take Ahsoka anytime you want."

They both laughed, and Padme pulled his arms tighter around her.

"I've missed you so much Padme." Anakin murmured, his chin resting in her shoulder. "I hate being away from you for so long."

"I missed you too Ani." She agreed, her hand holding his, her eyes closed. "Hopefully once the war is over you won't always be so far away."

Anakin nodded, squeezing her hand gently. He honestly didn't think he could have gone much longer without seeing Padme, though he knew he would be away for longer soon. Back to back missions didn't leave much time to be with Padme, though it was always his top priority when he was on Coruscant.

Anakin's comm link on his right wrist started buzzing and he groaned. Another mission already? He glanced at I, as did Padme, and saw a message from Obi Wan.

_Come back to the temple now, we need to leave._

He looked at her apologetically, as they both stood up. "I'm sorry Padme, I thought we had the rest of the week off. Something big must have come up."

She nodded, her expression full of worry. "Just promise you'll come back, okay? I don't think I could stand to lose you."

"I'll come back, I promise." He hugged her briefly, adding, "I'll always come back."

"Thank you, and I'm holding you too that." She smiled, but he could still see the apprehension in her eyes. "I love you Anakin Skywalker."

He grinned back. "I-"

"Skyguy we got to go!" Ahsoka had burst into the room, one hand holding the chair, and holding up her other wrist, where her comm was. "Obi Wan needs us now."

Anakin closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, earning a quiet laugh from Padme, before turning to face his Padawan. "Thank you Ahsoka I am aware, I was just about to come get you. Come on." He walked over to the door, and then stopped, turning back to Padme.

"Padme I, um, the ah- The feeling is mutual."

Padme laughed, as he turned and walked out, Ahsoka following him confused. Padme could hear Ahsoka ask Anakin what he was talking about, and Anakin promptly telling her to shut up and she laughed again.

* * *

 

Padme and Anakin were still laughing lightly when the door was thrust open. They let go of each other quickly, and two guards approached them, sneering. Each grabbed one of Anakin's arms, and they pulled him up, swiftly removing him from the room. They dragged him down hallways after hallway, down a dark stair case they had come up on the way to the meeting. Anakin was silent through these dimly light hallways, down the shadowed staircases, and back to the level he was held on.

For the past four hours before he had meet with Padme, he had been held in an integration room, while he was subjected to many different interrogation techniques, recognizing quite a few of them himself. They wanted him to talk before lawyers stepped, and the Jedi council intervened, as the council had said they would when Anakin was arrested. They had wanted to take him straight away, but the Republic Forces had refused point blank, as they claimed this matter was beyond the Jedi. But Anakin had not said a word to anyone, beyond "I want my lawyer" once to the interrogator. When he had been laughed at and told no lawyer would ever take his case, Anakin had fallen silent, and had not uttered another sound.

Now he was once again shoved into the dark heavily guarded cell he had sat in earlier, comprised of nothing but steel walls. His hands were cuffed in front of him, and he carefully sat down, crossing his legs and closing his eyes. Here he was finally left alone with only his thoughts, and his thoughts were about Obi Wan Kenobi and the hours before his capture.

* * *

 

Anakin expected the temple to be crawling with clones by the time he reached it an hour later, but was pleasantly surprised to find very few, and they were only at the front entrance. Moments ago he had tried contacting Obi Wan sending three short beeps, but not a message, as he didn't want to open up the line just yet. Who knew what company Obi Wan could be in? Temple had quite a few secret entrances he had discovered over the years, and he swiftly made his way around to the back, and slipped inside through a hole hidden by a large hanger.

The Temple was dimly light, the halls deathly silent. Anakin crept through these halls like a shadow, as his years of training had taught him. The lack of Jedi in the temple was strange. He had encountered no one so far, and while the war had spread the Jedi thin, there was always a Jedi at the temple at any given time. But still, he had expected the temple to be busier than this. Anakin stayed clear of the wing designated for young padawans, the main group inhabiting the building now. He truthfully didn't know how a Jedi would react now if they noticed him walking about. Had word of the search for him reached the temple?

No matter what happened, he would not allow himself to be captured right now, there was too much at stake. What he really needed right now was a plan of action. What should he do now? All transportation in and out of the Coruscant had been halted, but Anakin didn't doubt his abilities to break through a blockade. But where could he go? No matter where he went, someone would always be searching for him there. Back to Tattooine, or some other outer rim planet? Even then, he would be living the life of a hermit, a prisoner, but on his own terms. Could he condemn his family to that life though? Padme and their children shouldn't have to suffer for his actions.

But then again, why should he be forced to hide either? He was innocent, and had arguable saved the Republic. This was something he should be given a medal for, not a death sentence. If he allowed himself to be arrested, could he rely on the justice system to prove his innocence? What evidence did they have on him, besides the fact that he had been in the room?

Anakin was now in the hall where is room was located, not that he had often stayed there, preferring to spend his time with Padme when he could. Walking towards the door, he pressed his thumb against a pad next to it, and it quietly slide open. The room was dark and empty. Anakin had never been one for many possessions, which had started when he was a slave. He learned never to get too attached to things, as he often didn't get to keep much, and was entitled to nothing. This had only been reinforced by his Jedi training, as a Jedi was selfless, and did not care for material objects. All a Jedi needed was his lightsaber.

After marrying Padme, Anakin had noticed he now kept a few items, but all were at Padme's apartment, where he knew they would be safe. And honestly, that's where his life was. He had never felt truly at home in the temple, only relaxing during meditation when he had allowed himself to fully unwind. But he had never found a home with his peers, or real sense of belonging. He always believed he was meant for so much more than them, and perhaps that was his downfall.

As a padawan, Anakin always sought to be better, to work harder. And that left very little time or patience for others often. He couldn't be content with being average, or slightly above. He needed to excel in everything, to be the most powerful, to rise above the others. That was his life goals, but was it now? After tonight, when his thirst for greatness had almost lead him so close to becoming the very thing he was said to destroy. The only thing that had truly held him back was the thought of his family, of what that would do to them. They were his anchor, and if he lost them…

But that wasn't going to happen. He wouldn't let it.

The room held a bed and a desk Anakin had brought in here when he had began studying the temple records to find out anything he could about prophetic dreams and stopping death. The only thing on the desk was a large black-bound journal, where he had kept all his notes over the past few months. He didn't want this to be lost or seized, as it had months of valuable research in it.

Anakin ripped twos blank page out of the back of it, and quickly scribbled down a note on one, explaining the journal's contents. He placed the first note, before stuffing it in his robes. He then grabbed the other and sat down, addressing it to Obi-Wan, and explaining everything that had happened, and all that was going on with him and Padme. He could only hope his friend would understand, and if he couldn't… well who's to say if Anakin would even ever see him again?

Anakin finished the letter hurriedly, expecting to be confronted by someone at any moment. He signed the letter, and folded it up, sticking in his robes as well. Just as he started walking towards the door, his com started to buzz, and Anakin looked to see Obi Wan's name on the screen. He quickly opened an audio link, and waited.

"Anakin?"

"Yes Master."

"Where are you Anakin?"

"Are you alone?"

"Yes Anakin of course."

"I'm in the temple, where are you?"

"I'm about to land in the North Hanger. Meet me there in five?"

"See you then master."

Anakin closed the link and activated the door again, and after glancing down the still empty halls, he slipped out the room, moving swiftly towards the Northern wing of the temple. All he had to do was give Obi Wan the letter and book, and he could be on his way back to Padme's. There they would make a decision about what came next and most likely leave in till they would be able to find enough evidence to sufficiently prove his innocence. The one thing Anakin knew was that he would not miss the birth of his children, not for anything.

After five minutes the Jedi was nearly at the North Hanger, and was starting to become concerned with the fact that he still had not seen anyone else well walking from one end of the temple to the other. Why was this place not swimming with troopers? He was even more on guard now, and he needed to get out of here.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Anakin murmured as he reached the door to the hanger. Activating the door, he crept into the darkened hanger, looking around for Obi Wan, one of the only people he knew he could trust.

"Anakin?" A voice called to him out of the darkness, and he saw a cloaked figure standing near the hanger's large opening.

"Master?" Anakin asked cautiously, inching closer to the figure, but his fingers reaching for his saber.

"Yes Anakin, Come over here."

Anakin recognized his voice, but moved still cautiously till he saw Obi Wan's face. He relinquished his weapon, and moved swiftly to the ship the older Jedi was standing next to.

To his surprise, Obi Wan drew him into a quick hug when he came close enough.

"I only just landed, what is going on Anakin? What's this I hear about the Chancellor and you?"

"The chancellor was the Sith lord, Darth Sidious. He murdered three Jedi Masters and might have killed Master Windu too, I don't know. I killed Sidious in a duel, but the details don't matter right now. Here" Anakin handed the His journal to obi-Wan, along with his letter to him. "I wrote everything you need to know in the letter, and the book is full of my research."

"Anakin, I-"

"Sorry master but I don't have much time. Just please read the letter." Anakin smiled at his master, wondering when he would next see him. "I must go know, but I will be in contact."

"Anakin-"

"I'm sorry I have to go, they are looking for me everywhere." Anakin made to start walking back towards the door, but Obi Wan grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Anakin, I'm afraid I can't let you leave." His voice held certain sadness, but his grip on Anakin's forearm was firm. He had made up his mind.

"What are you talking about?" Anakin asked confusedly, wrenching his arm from Obi Wan's grip. "I need to go before they find me!"

"They already have Anakin."

At his words, swarms of clones burst into the hanger, backing Anakin against the hanger's opening. Anakin quickly drew his lightsaber, yelling furiously at Obi-Wan, "What have you done?!"

"I had to Anakin!" His former master yelled back, drawing his own lightsaber as clones filled in around him, and Anakin noticed other Jedi appearing too, their sabers going up as well. "You have to be tried by the republic!"

"How could you betray me?" Anakin called back, trying to figure out his options but completely blinded by this betrayal. How could Obi Wan set him up like this?

"Surrender and this will go much more smoothly." Obi Wan's eyes meet his, and there was pain in both pairs. "Let me help you Anakin. Please."

"If you think this is helping me, you are sorely mistaken." Anakin spat, now backed against the large drop off onto the dark streets far below. He glanced down into the darkness. Could he survive that?

"Don't do it Anakin." The army advanced to Anakin, and stun rays where flew at him from all sides.

Anakin jumped.

* * *

 

Now, sitting in this dank cell, Anakin truly understood how Ahsoka must have felt after her arrest. That sense of betrayal, the sense that he knew would not soon leave him. And because of this, he had never wished more to speak with her as he did then. He wanted to apologize, to tell her how sorry he was, and that he never should of betrayed her the way he did. He should have believed and helped her, instead of leaving it to the corrupt justice system. At the time he thought he was doing what was best for, and in the end he had managed to find the evidence needed to free her in time, but what if he hadn't? Maybe he should of hide her in till he had been able to prove her innocence, guaranteeing her safety.

For the past three years, he was always going, not having nearly enough to time to meditate or relax, and letting his mind empty. Now, in the darkness, it seemed he had nothing but time, and he sat cross-legged on the grimy floor. His arms where folded against his chest and now he could feel the force flowing all around him. The force washed over him, calming his mind and he could physically feel his muscles relaxing, the tension inside him dissipating. He ignored his steadily increasing thirst, and instead focused his mind on the flow of the force around him.

He didn't know how long had passed when he resurfaced (a few hours if he had to guess), and he didn't know what had pulled him out of such s deep meditation. It was almost as if the force had nudged him, telling him to be alert. It was then that he heard the footsteps and voices outside of his cell. He remained still, his eyes closed but he was fully aware of what was going on around him now.

He heard the door finally open, and the sound of heavy footsteps stomping over and stopping directly in front of him. He sensed four guards follow the first person inside, and they positioned themselves around Anakin, surrounding him.

"Anakin Skywalker, or should I say prisoner 95746?"

The voice was arrogant and nasally, a rather unpleasant one to listen too. Anakin could not recall hearing it before, though he had had an unfortunate feeling he might be hearing a lot of in the weeks to come. But he made no response who he now guessed was a man standing in front of him. He would do as he was instructed. He would not speak.

"Oh, is the great Jedi Master not going speak to me too?"

Anakin did not move a muscle, focusing on keeping his emotions in check as he had often practiced.

"Well this little mute act is not gonna work for me, 95746."

Anakin could feel hot breath on his face know, and he knew this man's face was about an inch away from his. Still, he did not react.

"Open your eyes." The words came out deadly silent, but seemed to vertebrate all around the small room.

Anakin smiled, slowly opening one eye to stare into the small beady eyes of the man in front of him. He could see a vein throbbing in the man's wide forehead, and his eyes burning with aggravation. Anakin's smile widened and he nodded to the man, before closing his eye once again.

"I WILL NOT BE DISRESPECTED 95746!" The stout man roared, still level with Anakin, and flecks of spit sprayed across Anakin's grimy face. Despite this, the Jedi's smile grew still lager, and he unfolded his arms. One hand now rested on his knee, and the other moved to his face, wiping off the spit. He then opened his eyes, his face returning to a blank state, and stared intensely at the livid man. Anakin really wished this man would take a step back, as the sight of him this close was truly hurting his eyes.

"I am in charge here, 95746, and you will obey me." The man cautioned, his voice returning to the venomous whisper.

Now Anakin smiled again, raising one eyebrow as if to question the statement. What he not expected the slap that followed this action. The hand hit him hard and fast and the force of it turned his head, but he had not been knocked off balance however. Anakin felt something wet on his check and realized a ring on one of the stubby fingers had left a small knick in his cheek. He half wondered if that's what the ring was for. This man seemed to be very temperamental.

"PRONLIN OLINGEN IS NOT MOCKED, BOY!

But Anakin was not going to let this man win. He turned his head back to face the man, who had finally taken a step back. He smiled yet again, his eyes calm, but on the inside he was fighting the urge to throw this man against the wall behind him. But that certainty would not help his case, and would likely end him up in even more trouble, and honestly he was in enough hot water as it was.

The punch that followed this did knock him off balance.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN:
> 
> Hello everybody, how's it going? There's another chapter done posted, and I'm ashamed to say that I actually have been regularly updating this story on fanfiction.net, but not on here. I think have 7 chapters of this story total posted on ff.net, so I'm going to try and post a chapter or two a week on here to get caught up and hopefully the next chapter should be done by then too.
> 
> So just fyi, in this story a line break means a flashback, and the story title in the middle of the page means a time jump or POV shift. just to let everyone know, so it isn't confusing!
> 
> We see a different side of Olingen at the end here, I'm really excited to play of the two different ways he presents himself. And Ahsoka was here (Well kinda) but I can't wait for her to get here for real, but I'm not sure when that will be exactly. Certainly quite a few chapters down the line though.
> 
> PLEASE REVIEW! It's the best way for me to get feedback, and trust me I need it! ;)
> 
> Till the next chapter!
> 
> -Diamondgirl3;)


	4. Alliances Formed

**_We Pretend it's Alright_ **

**_Chapter Four_ **

**_Alliances Formed_ **

**_Words- 4,770_ **

**_We Pretend it's Alright_ **

"Thank you for your time, Mister Blannk." Padme said kindly, forcing a smile as she ushered the fourth firm to turn down Anakin's case out the door of her office. After this, there was only one firm she had left to meet with. If they refused the case, it was back to the beginning. What if she searched for days and days and no agreed to work the case with her? Padme shook that thought from her mind. That would not happen, she just had to keep her chin up and her thoughts positive.

It was past nightfall now, and staring out the windowed wall of her office, her gaze found the Jedi temple. She wondered what had been said at the high council meeting this morning.     Obi-Wan had mentioned this morning when he stopped by that the council would be meeting at noon, but that was hours ago now. A part of her wished to know what the Jedi thought of all this, but another part of her didn't.

Padme glanced at her watch and saw she had about a half an hour till her next meeting. Just enough time for dinner. Unfortunately she didn’t have any food in her office, and as she had not brought threepio with her, she would have to venture to the cafeteria down the hall for a quick bite to eat.

Draping a shawl over her shoulders, the Senator of Naboo exited her office and toddled down the long hallway that her office was at the end of, moving towards the center of this level.  She hadn't eaten since the morning with Obi-Wan, and she was positively starving.  From the time she had left her apartment this morning, she had been going nonstop, the only questionable down time being the four hours she had wanted for Anakin. But she had been so worked up and overwhelmed during that time, she couldn't honestly call that restful.

Padme finally reached the cafeteria a few minutes later, and was surprised to find it more crowded than it usually was this late at night. Padme often worked late nights, and found herself just making it here for dinner before they closed down for the night, and only seeing a few others there as well.

But tonight the cafeteria was full of people, all talking loudly and very animated. She started to wonder why it was so crowded, and it dawned on her as she stood in the corner, brewing her cyanoberry tea.

While she had had been so focused on protecting and helping Anakin, she had completely forgotten that for everyone else, the only thing that mattered was that the leader of the republic was dead. This could mean so many things for the galaxy, and the senators in this building especially. According to protocol, if the Chancellor died, there would be a one month mourning period before a new chancellor was elected, and the vice chancellor would act as chancellor for that period. No wonder everyone was working late.

"Padme?"

Padme had been so wrapped up in her thoughts she hadn't noticed the young senator of the Plantora System come up behind her. Padme turned around at the sound her name, and was pleasantly surprised to see Riyo Chuchi standing in front of her, a plate of patot panak in each of the Pantoran's hands.

"Riyo, it is so good to see you." Padme beamed and picking up her tea and stirring it lightly, "I would hug you but I think we both have our hands full."

Both women laughed, and Riyo asked, "I grabbed an extra plate care to join me?"

Padme nodded, and they walked over to a small table in the opposite corner.

"Kind of a crazy past twenty-four hours, huh?" Riyo pondered, taking a bite of her flatbread sandwich, a thoughtful look on her young face.

"You don’t even know the half of it." Padme sighed, taking a long sip of her tea and thinking over how much her life had changed in just one day. Before she could stop herself, tears had started forming in her bright brown eyes, and she couldn't hold them back.

"Oh I'm sorry Padme that was so careless of me. You were so close to him, this must be so hard for you." Riyo cried, looking horrified at herself. She pulled her chair around next to Padme's, and put a comforting arm around her shoulder of the slightly older woman as silent tears trickled down Padme's cheeks.

Padme's brow furled in confusion, not quite sure what Riyo was talking about. "What do you mean?" She choked out, turning her head to look questioningly at Riyo.

Now it was Riyo who looked questioning at Padme, asking "The chancellor? He was your mentor, wasn't he? I was under the impression you shared a close relationship."

A small laugh escaped Padme's pink lips, and before she could stop herself she was full out laughing. The circumstances were just too much.

The other senator looked at her in even more confusion, and a bit worries, and Padme stopped quickly, realizing what she was doing and that other people were starting to look around at her, probably all wondering why the pregnant lady as laugh-crying.

"Oh I'm sorry Riyo, It's not anything you did.  I just… well recently the chancellor and I haven't been on the best of terms, and I can't honestly say I am too upset about his passing." She explained, wiping the last tears off her cheek. "Today has been quite a hectic day though, I completely agree."

"Oh, my mistake, but I am glad to hear that we are on the same page." Riyo smiled reassuringly, and Padme returned the smile. "I think The Republic is ready for a new leader." Riyo went on, "Someone who will lead us out of this war and into a new era of peace."

"And who do you suppose that new leader might be?" Padme asked curiously, taking a bite of her own meal, and wondering if Riyo was backing Bail Organa as she assumed she would.

"Oh I don’t know." Riyo sighed, running a hand through her light pink hair, a tired smile on her face. "From what I have heard, Bail Organa is running as well as Mas Amedda, who has been the Vice Chancellor under both of the previous two Chancellors. You're supporting Senator Organa, I take it?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, I believe he will be a good change for this republic, but honestly I can't say I have been that focused on it today." Padme confirmed, taking another sip of her tea, and hoping its stimulating effect would kick in soon.

"Hmm, yes I agree he would be a good leader, and I can't say I'm Senator Amedda's biggest fan either." Riyo agreed, and then hesitated, her eyes narrowed in thought, and she seemed almost unsure about whether or she should bring up what she was about to. "I heard a rumor this morning that you are… you're defending Anakin Skywalker. Is that true?" There was something more than curiosity in her voice, and Padme could detect almost a sense of concern.

"I am." Padme verified, looking down at her food. She didn't honestly think she was in enough control emotionally to talk about this in a public place such as this, where anyone could and was listening in.

"I just wanted to tell you that I wish help to help in any way with the case."

Padme couldn't help but look up at her colleague in shock. Was Riyo offering to help her in the trial?

"Are you serious?" Padme asked, needing confirmation of what she just heard.

"Anakin Skywalkers is a good man. I do not believe he killed his fellow Jedi, or murdered the chancellor in cold blood. This will be a huge case, and there is no way you can do it alone, especially in your condition. Joining the defense would be an honor for me." Riyo said sincerely, her voice steady and earnest.

"Riyo I cannot express what a relief this is, but I must make sure that you are a hundred percent sure about this? This case is going to be heavily politicized and there will be a lot of backlash against us. And not to mention that if we lose it could be very damaging for everyone involved." Padme admitted, not wanting the young senator to rush into this without considering all possible outcomes.

Riyo was silent for a few seconds before responding, "I went into politics to make positive change, to stand up for what I believe in. I believe in Anakin Skywalker's innocence, and I will stand up and defend him." Riyo proclaimed, sitting up a little straighter as she spoke and Padme could hear the pride in voice.  "And plus," She added, a mischievous grin face, "If you're doing it, why can't I? Can't let you have all the fun now, could I?"

Padme found a smile stretching across her face and she nodded.

"Alright Riyo, I think you will be a great help in this case, and I look forward to working with you once again." She held out her hand and Riyo took it. It was nothing more than a hand shake, but it meant so much more the senator of Naboo. To know that she would not being doing this alone was comforting, and a load off her shoulders. 

The two Senators talked about the case, and Padme gave a basic overview off what was going on, but nothing to specific as they still where in a very public place. It wasn't in till five minutes before her meeting that Padme realized the time.

 "Oh I' m sorry Riyo I have a meeting with a firm, in…" She broke off, staring at her watch, before looking slowly back at Riyo. "I don't suppose you would want to come, would you? I am searching for a firm to back the case and this is going to be the fifth and last I am set to meet with. All the others have declined, asking it's too risky."

"I would be delighted too. In your office?" Riyo answered at once, standing up, and then helping Padme to her feet.

"Yes, all the way at the end of hall 5d." Padme confirmed, dumping their trash in the bin behind her, and the two set off, ignoring the curious looks of others still in the room.

"The firm is called Gehlert and Gehlert, and I have a good feeling that they will back this case. They are a smaller firm, but they have a history of taking cases such as this one, cases that seemed very clear cut, but turned out to be very complex and in the defendant's favor." Padme explained as they walked back to her corner office. "I would have loved to meet with them first but late tonight oddly enough was a better time for them."

"Oh I've heard of them I believe." Riyo said thoughtfully, her face twisted in concentration as she tried to remember something. "Weren't they the firm behind that brilliant smuggling case a few years back? The Defang one?"

Padme nodded. "That's exactly who I'm talking about. I can only hope they will do as much good for us."

**_We Pretend it's Alright_ **

An hour later the two female senators were shaking hands with the representatives from Gehlert and Gehlert, smiles on their faces, and agreeing on a meeting time tomorrow morning at the firm's office space.

"Thank you again, and I look forward to our meeting tomorrow." Padme smiled, walking the twi'lek siblings to her office door, and opening it for them.

"As do we, Senator." Jinka replied, and she and her brother Helgo nodded to both senators, before taking their leave. 

"Well that went great." Riyo said cheerfully, walking over to where Padme was standing by the door.  "But if you don't mind, I think I am going to head out. It's almost eleven, and I still have a few things to grab from my office before returning home."

"Of course, I think I will head out myself soon. I'll see you tomorrow morning at nine." They shared a quick hug goodbye, and Riyo set off back to her office a floor above.

Padme went back to her desk, and gathering up some documents and files and placing them all in a large midnight blue messenger bag.  She carefully laid it across her shoulder, and draped a deep red shawl around her torso.

The very tired soon-to-be mother turned off the lights in the office, and left, the door locking again behind her. She walked slowly back through the long halls, and took the lift back to the ground floor. Exiting the lift, she made her way back into the grand entrance hall, discovering it to be noticeable empty, and soon found herself walking down a side hall she know knew lead to the lift down to the detention levels. The elevator at the end of the hidden hall was guarded by four troopers now, Padme approached them, her head held high.

"Ma'am this area is restricted, I'm afraid I must ask you to-"

"I am Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo, and Prisoner 95746's certified Lawyer." Padme interrupted, and the clone fell silent. "I have an urgent matter to speak to my client about, and you will let me through to speak to him."

"I'm sorry Madam Senator, but the Senior Under-Secretary Olingen has left the building, and we were given strict instructions not to let anyone see Prisoner 59746."

"Trooper, what is your name?" Padme asked, a false sweetness in her voice.

"Striker, Ma'am." The clone answered, and Padme could sense the pride in his voice.

"Well Striker, you are doing a very good job here, and I really appreciate you trying to keep my client safe, as he is a hero of the war, and I would really hate to have to contact a commanding officer to gain entry to my client, but if you refuse my legal right to confer with prisoner 95746…" She trailed off, a gleam in her, and she waited for Striker to respond, as he exchanged looks with his fellow clones.

After a minute, he turned back to Padme, and answered, "Ma'am I will escort you to a meet With General Sky- Excuse me, I meant Prisoner 95746- for a period of ten minutes, but that is the best I can do tonight."

Padme had to stop herself from squealing with excitement, and instead nodded, saying, "Thank you very much Striker, I will remember this in the future." She gave him an approving smile. What she had said about protocol was not strictly true, and she did not have any power to find a commanding officer that would let her in, but she had a feeling that Striker knew this, and was helping her regardless. She couldn't help but wonder if this trooper had ever served under Anakin, given that he knew him by general Skywalkers.  And she internally vowed that if someone ended up to blame for this, she would not let this come back and ruin this trooper, and he would be rewarded for this favor.

 "If you will follow home to a screening room, we will run a check mandatory security check, and then I will escort you downstairs."

She followed Striker and another clone down a side hall and within five minutes was back at the lift. She smiled to herself as she zoomed down into the depths of the historic building, proud of her actions, and very excited to see Anakin and tell him the good news about the lawyer situation.

From the elevator she was escorted down more halls to a small room, which was considerably nicer than the one she had been in many hours earlier. This room was rather well kept and contained a large table, with four chairs sitting around it, all looking a lot more comfortable than the one she had sat in before.

"What is the normal function of a room such as this, who usually visits in a room like this?" She asked as Striker brought her inside.

"This model is one of the lawyer/client rooms, or family rooms Madam Senator." The clone responded, and Padme felt her dislike for Olingen grow. She should have been taken here earlier, not the poor excuse for a room she had rotted in for hours. After she proved Anakin's innocence, her next mission would be ruining the Senior Under-Secretary.

"We are bringing 95746 now Madam, it will only be a moment." A clone told her as she sat down at the table.

"Thank you very much, …?" She broke off, looking questioningly at the clone.

"Pointer is what they call me, Madam Senator." The clone answered, nodding to her, and leaving the room, closing the door lightly behind him.

No more than a minute later, Six clones escorted a very shaky, and for lack of a better term, out of it Anakin inside, setting him down in the chair across from her.  They exited, and Padme moved to sit next to Anakin, who had slumped down face-first onto the table

"Anakin what is wrong with you?" She murmured, slightly panicky, guiding his head back upright, and turning it so she could get a good look at his face. It was covered in bruises, and he had a drowsy, faraway look in his blue eyes. "They are not going to get away with this." She murmured as she examined his injuries, especially a rather nasty knick in his check.

"Padme?" Anakin slurred, his eyes trying to focus on her, but failing.

"Yes Ani, it's Padme. I managed to get into speak to you again, but only for a little bit, but that's not important right now. Anakin what happened to you? Who did this?" She demanded, gazing worriedly at him.

"I 'sink they drugged me." He mumbled, and Padme had to hold his head from swaying. "I wouldn't speak and they did somthin' after a while. He said it'll loosen mah tongue for tomorrowah."

"Who said that Anakin?"

A smile split over Anakin's disfigured face and he laughed. "Olingen, I 'ade him soooooo mad." Anakin laughed again, and Padme just watched in astonishment. "Dis 'ill repress mah Jedi magic 'e said."

Padme looked incredulously at Anakin. What had he done that had made Olingen so mad? And Olingen decided drugging Anakin would repress his use of the force? Honestly, when Anakin was out of it, the force seemed to react to him almost subconsciously. 

A couple years back, Anakin contacted a disease that had left him completely delirious and very feverish. He had asked the council for leave to go to a medical center for a little while, but had actually ended up going to Padme's for a few days, thinking he would fine. But she ended up having to take him to a center as he continually got worse. But while he had been at her place, the force had reacted excessively to him. Stuff was always floating around him, and she swore she felt something she had never felt before when she was in a close vicinity to him. This had later caused Anakin to say she might be slightly force-sensitive, but Padme had dismissed it, saying that Anakin had merely been so immersed in the force, that the presence of it would have been noticeable to anyone, but Anakin still thought it might be something more than that.

"Anakin, hey buddy, can you look at me baby?"

Anakin looked at her, but she wondered if he could really even saw her. What did they give him?

"Anakin I need you to focus, fight this off, okay? Use the force, temporally clear your mind, I know you can." Padme honestly had no clue if that was something he could do, but she figured it was worth a shot. She felt like she could vaguely remember him fighting off being drugged, at least for a bit.

Anakin nodded, and scrunched his eyes shut, and Padme held her hands tight against his face, closing her eyes, holding him steady as he started to sway.

Anakin allowed the force to seep into his mind, and after a five minutes, he opened his eyes again, and he saw Padme clearly now, her brown eyes studying his face concernedly.

"Are you feeling more, well, present?" She asked, her brow furled.

"Yeah, a bit. I can see and my mind isn't quite as fuzzy." Anakin said, and he smiled. "You came back to see me again."

"Of course I did." She scoffed, giving him a short hug, and a chaste kiss. "You'd of missed me too much." She teased, smiling back. "Plus, I have good news."

"Oh yeah? And what news would that be?"

"Riyo is working with me on your case, as well as a firm called Gehlert and Gehlert. We have our first official meeting tomorrow morning."

"That's great!" Anakin cheered, kissing his wife happily. "That's amazing news!"

"It is." She agreed. "But I wanted to ask you what you think I should disclose to them."

"Everything." He answered immediately, staring intently at her, "Them them whatever you need to."

"Okay Ani, I will."

"Good, and also I forgot to tell you earlier, but I put out a bounty for any information linking Sidious to Palpatine under the name of Jago Hagar." Anakin disclosed, and before adding, "It's the name I always use for bounties." And he gave her the frequency for the bounty as well.

"Okay, I'll make sure to check up on that." Padme said, and yawned, holding a hand over her mouth.

"Oh Padme, you must be exhausted. You should go home and sleep, don’t want to overdo it, remember?" Anakin advised, glancing at a clock. "And besides, I think our time is almost up anyways."

"Yes I remember, and I think you are right my love." She smiled tiredly at him, and kissed him one last time, before standing up. "I'll see you soon, I promise. Love you."

"Love you too angel."

There was a short knock on the door, and it swung open, the six clones reentering, and escorting Anakin back out of the room.

"Madam Senator?" Striker asked, as he entered the room along with another clone. "We will escort you back to the main levels now. We took the liberty of calling you a ride home Ma'am."

"Thank you Striker, I appreciate that. You have done me a great service today, and I will not soon forget it."

"My pleasure Ma'am."

She followed the clones back through the dim halls and up the lift to the ground floor. From here a different clone escorted her to a speeder that brought her back to her apartment building.

After thanking the driver, Padme exited the speeder, and walked up the short set stairs leading up the building's entrance. As she walked she pulled off her shoes, sighing with relief as her feet were finally free of those torture devices masquerading as shoes. She was typing in her code to the building front door when a silky voice called out behind her.

"Senator Amidala."

"Yes?" Padme said tiredly as she continued to type in the code.

"Senator, I believe we have quite a lot to talk about."

It was then at Padme realized who that slippery voice belonged to, and she spun around slowly, her gaze falling on none other than Asajj Ventress.

"Ventress." She hissed, suddenly feeling very vulnerable with her shoes in one hand, and her other resting protectively on her stomach. "What do you want?"

Ventress let out a humorless laugh, and she walked forward, her arms held up in surrender.

"Don’t worry Senator, I don’t make it a habit of harming defenseless pregnant ladies." She sneered, still walking closer to Padme. "I simply wish to _talk_." She stressed the last word, a gleam in her blue-gray eyes. "I have information that might be of some us to you."

Padme was perplexed for a minute, before she remembered what Anakin had just told her."You have Intel on Sidious." Padme inquired curiously, certain Ventress was here for the bounty.

"Aren't you a smart one?" The Dathomirian mocked, and Padme's eyes narrowed. She did not have the patience to deal with Ventress right now, but she needed this information.

Against her better judgment, Padme lead Ventress up to her apartment, ignoring the woman's snide comments all the way up.  Once she reached her doorway, she typed in the code, and pressed her thumb against a small pad that only activated past nine o'clock. She walked inside, dumped her coat and bag on the floor right inside, along with her shoes. She walked straight to a rather comfortable chair in the sitting room, and collapsed into it.

"Threepio!" She called, as she started to take her hair down.  The golden droid came bustling into the room at once and Padme sent him to fetch a glass of iced Kopi tea, and a cold pack for her feet. Threepio returned in a minute, handing Padme a glass, and draping a cold pack over her feet.

"Thank you Threepio, that will be all for now."

"Oh of course Mistress Padme, happy to be of service to you." The droid bustled off, and Padme turned to look at Ventress, who was still standing in the entrance to the sitting room, looking at Padme in astonishment, and was it possible, respect?  
"Well what do you have to tell me Ventress?" Padme questioned, looking tiredly up at the woman still standing silently in the entrance. "What information can you offer me?"

"I have video recordings of holo-messages of conversations between him and the leader's of the separatist forces I stole." She answered at once, now walking over and sitting gingerly on a chair across from where Padme sat.

"Is that all?" Padme asked, taking a sip of her tea, and looking skeptically at Ventress.

"I am also I'm the process of obtaining more information, which I should have in three days time." She added, begrudgingly.

"While," Padme started, sitting up slightly. "Why don’t you give me what you have now, and bring me the rest if you obtain it?"

" _When_ I obtain it." Asajj hissed, her nostrils flared. "And on the matter of payment?"

"A hundred credits should be sufficient."

"You insult me, Madam Senator."

"I haven't even seen the recordings yet, and as for this other information, I will pay for it when I receive it, no sooner. Deal?"

"Deal." Ventress said after a minute, and she pulled a disk out of her pocket.  Padme had Threepio fetch the credits, and they made the exchange.

"One more thing Ventress." Padme said, her words stopping the woman as she was made her back towards the door. "I want to know how you knew to come to me with this? I was in no way attached to this bounty."

Ventress turned back to face her, a wicked smile on her thin face.

"I recognized Skywalker's bounty Alias, and as he is rather, unavailable, I thought beyond his _ex_ -padawan, you would be the one to come too. I expect I would be the only to one too know too," She sneered, that gleam back in her eyes, and she started walking back to Padme.

"And why would you assume that?" Padme asked lightly, hiding her confusion, and discomfort at the way Ventress was looking at her. She was staring to regret bringing the Bounty Hunter up here.

"Oh sweetie, well the easy answer would be that you are his lawyer, but truthfully," She was now standing very close to Padme, and had kneeled down next to her, their faces inches apart, but Padme did not pull back, refusing to be intimidated. "I figured his wife would be more than happy to pay up." She laughed coldly as Padme's expression turned to one of shock, the brunette unable to stop herself.

"How-?"

"You wish for information on Sidious, do you not? Well let's just say it was once my _task_ to find out everything about a certain Jedi who fancies himself your husband." Her laugh was humorless mirth, and it spilled out of her thin lips again as she watched Padme's shocked and confused expression. Asajj Ventress stood up, a sneer back on her face. "I'll show myself out." She laughed again quietly, sashaying back to the entrance and through the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there, posting two chapters in a row now.This one's all Padme's point of view, and I will mostly just switch between her and Anakin at first, but later I think we will see from others as well.  
> Also to clarify, I am going to be using a lot of Characters from the Clone Wars TV series, so it might be a little confusing if you haven't seen it (And if you haven't you really should because it is the best!!)   
> Timing in the Star Wars world and my story is going to be as follows. 60 seconds = 1 minute, 60 minutes = 1 hour, 24 hours = 1 day, 5 days = 1 week, 7 weeks = 1 month, 35 days = 1 month, 368 days = 1 year.  
> Anyways, that’s all for now, but I'm starting to get really excited about where this story is headed, so please review and let me now if you are too! Or if not, what do you think needs to be worked on? Really any comments are helpful, and hearing from you all really inspires me to write more and faster!  
> Till the next chapter!  
> -Diamondgirl3;)


	5. A Basis

**_We Pretend It's Alright_ **

**_Chapter Five_ **

**_A Basis_ **

**_Words- 7,674_ **

"It's a bit off topic, but have you heard from Ahsoka Tano recently? I know the two of you were friends." Padme inquired as she and Riyo walked into the building where Gehlert and Gehlert's firm was located on the second level of the city, after just meeting out front of the location.

"I have not heard from Ahsoka for eight months, since she went missing." Riyo responded, her voice filled with a sadness Padme recognized. It was the same sadness she used to keep from her voice when talking of Anakin while he was away on missions, when she had no idea whether he was alive or dead.

"I see." Padme said softly, not pursue the matter any farther. It was clear Riyo knew no more about Ahsoka's whereabouts than she did.

Now inside the small two story building, the two Senators approached the front desk where a young Twi'lek sat.

"Padme Amidala and Riyo Chuchi, we have a nine o'clock appointment with Jinka and Helgo Gehlert." Padme told the male twi'lek, who looked up at the sound of her voice.

"One moment please." He replied, and picked up a schedule that lay I front of him. "Ah yes, about the Skywalkers case? Mr. and Ms. Gehlert are ready for you in room two. That’s the first room on the left down this hall." He informed them, pointing to a hall to somewhere behind him.

"Thank you." Riyo said, and the two senators set off down the hall.

The room they told to wait in was about the size of Padme's office, with a few windows scattered along the navy blue walls. Inside there were two desks, as well as a sitting area with two sofas and two chairs, all centered around a dark mahogany table.

Padme sat gingerly on one of the sofas, and Riyo sat down next to her, brushing non-existent dust off the front of her pants. She wore a lavender high-necked tunic that spilt just above her waist line and flared out to each side. Tan pants accompanied the tunic, and her light pink hair was in an elaborate braid, and a headpiece finished the look. Padme herself was wearing a navy empire-waistline dress as well as a black lace shawl that covered her shoulders and crossed in the front. Since her pregnancy, shawls had become her new favorite accessory. 

Riyo and Padme lightly discussed a recent bill that had just gone through the senate well the waited for the Gehlert siblings to join them. The bill stopped the Banking Clan from reducing the wages of their employees to something that would have been impossible for their workers to live off of. It had been a success for Loyalist party.

"Good morning Senators." A deep voice sounded from the door way, and the women turned to see the two Twi'leks, Jinka and Helgo, entering the room.  "Glad to see you made it this morning."

"Of course, and I would like to thank you again for taking on this case with us, Mr. and Ms. Gehlert."

"Jinka and Helgo is more than fine, Madam Senator." Jinka chucked with a wave of her hand.  "I expect we shall become quite friendly by the end of this case, as it will be very time consuming."

"Then I must insist you call me Padme as well." Padme countered, as they sibling sat down on the couch in front of them, and laid some documents down on the table, and Helgo prepared paper to take notes on.

"And Riyo is fine by me as well." The Pantoran senator added.

"Well, I do believe we should get stated." Helgo said, pushing a document towards the Padme. "These are our basic contract, insuring our work towards the case, and pricing. Feel free to take them home with you and return them to us sometime in the next couple of days."

"Of course," Padme said, picking up the document and placing it inside the bag she had brought. "I shall want to look over this later."

"I'd been insulted if you didn't." Helgo joked, and jotted something down on his clipboard.

"Well Padme, I do believe you have talked with Mr. Skywalker and can provide us with the information necessary to understanding the events of the night in question?"

"Yes, Anakin and I are close and he came to me directly after what happened in the Late Chancellor's office." Padme said, shifting her sitting position slightly. "I'll give you an overview of what happened, and then provide the support necessary to understanding the situation."

"Perfect, please proceed." Jinka urged her, sitting back in her chair.

"Around five o'clock earlier that day, Anakin was visiting the chancellor, and the chancellor revealed to Anakin that he was indeed a Sith lord, the Sith lord the Jedi have been searching for information on."

"I'm sorry but Sith? What does this mean?" Helgo asked curiously, and Riyo looked confused as well.

"The Sith are the enemies of the Jedi. Well the Jedi follow the Jedi code and are members of the light side of the force, the Sith have no code, and rely on the Dark side of the force."  Padme explained, hoping to put it in terms that would make sense to her co-workers, but honestly sometimes she barley understood the Jedi ways herself.

"SO they are kind of the Anti-Jedi?" Riyo questioned, her head tilted a little to the side, in thought.

"Yes," Padme clarified.

"So Chancellor Palpatine was a Sith Lord. I believe I remember hearing something about Sith being involved in the other side of the war, but of course no one really understood what that meant. Are you insinuating that Palpatine was involved with the separatists?"

"I wasn't sure in till yesterday, when I, um, _happened upon_ some evidence that at least proves Sidious was working the Separatists, and as we believe Sidious and Palpatine are the same person, it seems that that is the case."

"If this all proves to be true, we may have a galaxy wide conspiracy on our hands." Jinka said, a sense of awe in her words. "Unbelievable." She murmured more to herself then the others, and her brow was furled in thought.

"Anyways, Will you please continue explaining what happened, Padme?" Helgo prompted, getting them to the discussion at hand.

"Of yes of course, where was I? Right, so after The Chancellor's reveal, Anakin went straight to the Jedi Temple to inform the Jed Council of Palpatine's true identity. The first Jedi he happened across was Master Mace Windu. He told Master Windu about Palpatine's identity, And Windu went to the Chancellor's office with a group of four other Jedi Masters, telling Anakin to stay behind."

"But he didn’t." Jinka interrupted, looking questioningly at Padme. "Why not just let the Masters handle the situation?"

Padme hesitated, looking down at her protruding stomach and wonder how best to explain why Anakin had felt the need to go back. She didn't want to reveal that they were involved, as that wouldn't look good from a professional stand point.

"I believe there is something you have not yet told us, maybe about his motives or relationship with the chancellor?"

His relationship with Palpatine… Yes, she'd start there.

"Ever since Anakin came to Coruscant to train as a Jedi, the Chancellor always took a special interest in him. By the time I meet Anakin again a little over three years ago, Palpatine had become a sorts of mentor for Anakin, and slowly began to manipulate him."

The other three were listening to Padme with rapt attention, hanging off her every word. The only other sound besides her voice was the scratch of Helgo's pen as he took notes on what she was saying.

"A few months ago, Anakin mentioned to me that he had been having nightmares, which he believed where prophetic visions, of someone he was very close to dying. He became obsessed with finding a way to prevent this person from dying, and he began researching a way to stop people from dying, using the vast Jedi archives. I have his research now, if you ever need it as evidence or whatnot. "She added the last bit, but was hoping that they would not want to see it yet, as she herself had only briefly skimmed through it, and did not know if he had written anything specifically about her in the journal.

"Perhaps at a later time." Jinka said, more focused on the scene Padme was creating than the research at the moment.

Slightly relieved, Padme continued. "From what I've read in his research, Palpatine must have learned about Anakin's nightmare's and starting subtly mentioning a Sith lord who had been able to stop people from dying. I don’t know if Palpatine was telling Anakin the truth, but a large portion of the research was dedicated to finding out anything he could about the mysterious sith lord and his death-defying powers."

"Did Anakin ever specifically tell you about Palpatine mentioning this?" Helgo asked curiously, scratching his chin.

"Not that I can clearly recall, but next time I am able to visit him, I will ask him." Padme answered, as she couldn't pinpoint a time he had told her this, but she knew it to be true. "When Palpatine revealed his Sith identity to Anakin, he told Anakin that joining him was the only way Anakin would be able to save the person that he believed was doomed to die."

Riyo let out an understanding "oh" as Padme spoke the last sentence.

"That’s why he went back to the Chancellor's office, isn't it?" She asked, knowing the answer. "He believed it was the only way to save the one he loved."

"Yes." Padme suddenly felt as if she couldn't go on. This was bringing up so many feelings she would rather not be feeling, and somewhere deep inside of her was a craving for Anakin. She needed to curl up in his arms for a solid week, all of this forgotten, and no one to keep her away from the one she loved more than anything.

Noticing the sudden look of melancholy on Padme's face, Riyo exchanged looks with the two lawyers, who shrugged, not knowing anymore than she did.

"Padme, are you alright?" Riyo asked gently after a minute of silence, placing a small hand on her co-worker's thin shoulder.

"What? Oh yes of course, I am completely fine. Anyways, as I was saying, that is the reason Anakin returned to the Chancellor's office, for Palpatine had manipulated him into believing that the only way t save this person was through him. About ten minutes after the Jedi had arrived at the Chancellor's office, Anakin arrived to find four of the Jedi masters, Masters Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, Saesee Tiin, all dead, and Mace Windu had Sidious corned on a window ledge. Anakin asked him to spare Sidious, that he needed him, but Windu refused saying he was too dangerous to be kept alive. Sidious screamed at Anakin to think of the person Anakin loved, that any hopes of saving them would die with him." Her voice was hollow as she continued.

"Anakin was very close to choosing Sidious, for that person he believed would die was the most important thing in the word to him. He would do anything for them, anything to save them. But then he thought what a life in the Dark side would do to that person, how the person he would become would be the opposite of what the other loved, how it ripe them apart. He thought what if this was what the dreams were warning him off? That the person would die because of what he would become, not because of his inability to have to power to stop death. He told Wind that he stood with him, but the minute Windu turned his head from Sidious, Sidious used what Anakin called force lightning to throw Master Windu from the window."

"Sidious engaged Anakin in a lightsaber battle, and all the time screaming at him that he was the only way to stop the death Anakin had been obsessed with stopping. That if Anakin did not join him, that person would die and their blood would be on his hands. Finally it got to Anakin, and as he put it "the force reacted to him in a way it never had before". He said Sidious was thrown with great force against the wall, and slumped to the ground bleeding out of the back of his head, his spine broken." Padme's voice was barely more than a whisper by the end of her monologue, and her eyes were full of tears by the end of her speech, and she now quickly blinked them away, refusing to let any of them fall.

"Anyway, after that, Anakin came to find me, in shock. I managed to calm him down after a while and we talked it all out. After a while, he left and he must have headed to the temple as that is where he was discovered." She finished rather lamely, thinking about what had happened after at the Jedi temple that night, or at least what she knew from Obi-Wan.

"May I come in?"  Obi-Wan's voice sounded feeble, and he looked exhausted.

Not really even contemplating what was going on, she opened the door wider, taking a step back and Obi-Wan walked inside the apartment. She took in his appearance as he stood in her doorway. His outer robe was covered in dirt and dust, and his hair was blown askew, instead of the usual combed look.

"Master Kenobi, I wasn't expecting you this morning." Padme said, a false cheeriness in her voice as she stood facing the Jedi Master.

"I know, and I'm terribly sorry to intrude, but I really need to talk with you about Anakin."

Padme noted the desperate way he said this and knew that this was something that she could not but off.  "Let's go to the kitchen, shall we?" She said in the same fake voice and she turned away from Obi-Wan, leading him through her apartment and into the now brightly light kitchen.

"Tea?" She asked, leaving him to sit down in the breakfast nook as she moved towards the tea steeper she kept on the window sill.

"That would be most appreciated, Senator Amidala." He thanked, taking note of his dirty outer robe, and removing it before he sat down on the cushioned bench.

"Master Kenobi, how many times must I tell you to call me Padme? And is stim tea good?"

"And how many times have I told you to call me Obi-Wan? And Stim is wonderful, I have a feeling I'll be needing it today."

Padme busied herself with preparing the tea too steep for a few minutes, hand crushing the dried plants, and placing it into the steeper, which she had moved to the island. After starting the timer, she returned to the nook where Obi-Wan sat, squeezing into the spot across from the Jedi master.

"I believe congratulations are order." Obi-Wan offered, gesturing to Padme's stomach. "I must admit I just recently found out. You must be so excited."

"Thanks you, and yes I am. It's going to be a struggle but hopefully by the time they arrive…"

"They?" Obi-Wan asked curiously.

"Yes, We- _I_ am expecting twins." Padme caught herself, but she was she Obi-Wan had noticed.

"Well that certainly is even more of a surprise. Two children… You will certainly have your hands full." He didn't question her slip at the moment. No need to draw attention to it right now.

"Yes I will." Padme agreed, and then dove right in to the topic at hand. "You said you wished to speak of Anakin? Why did you want to talk to me about him?"

"Padme, I have to tell you that before Anakin was captured, he gave me a letter and a journal. I don't think he intended either of you to be on Coruscant by the time I read it, but as you are, I had to talk to you about it. I thought I should give you his journal, as it will better protected here." Obi-Wan started, and he pulled a letter and journal from within his robes, setting them on the table. "And I do have some questions. Perhaps you want to read the letter first?"

Padme nodded, unable to speak, and obi-Wan pushed the letter towards her. She picked it up and began to read.

_Obi-Wan,_

_You have probably heard by now what everyone is saying about me, and if you haven't, you are really out of the loop.  I don’t know what you've heard, so I'm just going to briefly explain it all. First off I will start by saying I did not kill any of the Jedi masters. That was all the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, who is actually Chancellor Palpatine. He has manipulated the galaxy into fighting a war against itself, and was planning to come out on top, and rule with absolute power, and he wanted me as his apprentice. He has been manipulating me for a long time, I know now. I almost succumbed to the dark side, I fell so far, and for that I will never forgive myself, Master. The only thing that stopped me from going dark was the very thing that almost lead me there. My love for my family saved me._

_I'm sure now you are going into shock and thinking "what in the world is Anakin saying?" I'm sorry I hide it from you for so long, but we had to. Well, here goes nothing. Padme Amidala and I are married and she is pregnant. Now I'm sure you’ve passed out or are cursing me, but let me explain._

_Padme is the one thing that has kept me sane in the chaos of this war, and the only reason I did not fall to the dark side. Now I say my love is also the reason I almost did because of the reason I went to the chancellor's office last night anyways. For months I have been having dreams of Padme dying in childbirth, and Sidious told me before I turned him into Master Windu that he was the only one who could teach me to save her. That's why I went back to him. But when it came down to it, and I had to choose Windu or Sidious, I came to senses and worked to stop Sidious.  I realized that me turning to the dark side would be what killed her, that it was the person I would become and the world I would help to create, not an accident I could prevent if I had the powers that no one possesses._

_Anyways, I killed Sidious in duel when the force reacted to me in a way it hasn’t since Mortis. He was thrown against the wall and his neck snapped on impact. I don’t understand what exactly happened, but maybe you do.  From here on out, I plan to escape Coruscant with Padme well I find enough evidence to prove my innocence.  I hope to see you again one day, my brother._

_May the force be with you,_

_Anakin Skywalker_

Tears where dripping down Padme's cheeks by the time she finished reading the letter, and she noticed a cup of tea now in front of her. The timer must have gone off while she was lost in the letter, and Obi-Wan had poured them a mug each.

"Thank you for sharing this with me." Padme choked out, wiping her tears away and taking a deep breath before taking a long sip from her mug.  

"Of course." Obi-Wan offered her a tissue he had summoned with the force. "Sorry it upset you, this must be a lot for you to handle by yourself."

"Thank you, and I'm doing okay. It just doesn't take a lot to set me off lately, all the hormones." Padme accepted the tissue, and dabbed at her eyes. "So what questions do you have?" She asked, her voice a little stronger.

"If you don't want to talk about it right now-"

"No no, it's fine. Please ask away."

"Well," He hesitated before asking, "Is it all true? The marriage and all?"

"Yes, we married on Naboo after the first Battle of Geonosis. It was a secret ceremony, only Threepio and Artoo were in attendance."

"Well I can't say I didn't suspect something was going on between you too, but I didn't believe it to be more than a fling. Nothing this serious…" He trailed off, looking off in thought.

"Do you mind if I ask a question?"

"Go ahead."

"How was Anakin captured? I was worried he'd be caught, but he promised he'd be back in the morning.  I really don't know how they found him so fast."

Obi-Wan's expression changed to one of sadness, and Padme could see the pain in his eyes and hear it in his voice as he began to speak.

"The Team of Clones working with the police contacted me just before I arrived back in Coruscant. They told me Anakin had murdered four Jedi and the Chancellor. They told me he was on the run, and that he would most likely contact me. The planned to draw him into the temple, making it seem guarded, and then corner him in the north hanger. That's where I came in. I was supposed to tell him to meet me there, and there would be an ambush once he arrived. They assured me they would take him alive, and that no harm would come to him if he surrendered. I agreed, I suspected he had fallen to the dark side, that he was no longer the Anakin I knew." He voice had become monotone, and he stared blankly at the table.

"Sure enough he contacted me an hour later, when I had just landed in the north hanger. He asked if I was alone, and I told him I was. He said he was on his way, that he had something to tell me. I waited and ten minutes later he appeared. He gave me the letter and journal, and then told me he had to go. I told him couldn't let him do that. The ambush team emerged, and I begged Anakin to surrender, as I had began to suspect that he was Anakin, not a twisted version of himself. He refused and he yelled that I had betrayed him. Then he jumped out of the hanger opening and the chase began. He evaded capture for three hours, but eventually was too overwhelmed by our forces, and was stunned."

He looked up, expecting to see the same sense of betrayal in Padme's eyes as had seen in her husband's a few hours ago. But he didn't.

"I understand." Padme murmured after a minute of silence. "You were doing your duty as a Jedi. You didn't know."

"Anakin will never understand." Obi-Wan doubted, but Padme shook her head.

"He'll come around, I'm sure. This sounds like a similar situation to what happened with Ahsoka last year. He'll realize the situation you were in, he'll understand."

She finished her tea, and stood up. "Speaking of Anakin, I need to go down to the Senate building and try to work my way into seeing him."

"Seeing him? I highly doubt they will let anyone in." Obi-Wan said, standing up as well, and putting his robe back on.

"Well, I'm not just anyone." Padme smiled, putting her own coat back on. "I'm his lawyer, and Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo. They'll have a hard time stopping me."

Obi-Wan chuckled as they started walking back to the door. "I myself must head back to the temple. The council is going to be appointing new members to its ranks, with the loss of three of our own. Then we will be discussing what is going to happen with Anakin before our service for Masters Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin."

"Will you tell them about us?" Padme asked, as the two stopped in front of the door.

"No, I don't believe it is my place to tell at this time." Obi-Wan gave her a small smile which she returned half-heartedly.

Together, they exited the apartment building, and each set off their separate ways, Padme to see her husband, and Obi-Wan to mourn the loss of his fallen Jedi.

"So that's the whole story?" Jinka double checked, looking questioningly at Padme, who seemed lost in thought.

"What? Oh yes, that's it." Padme verified, as she pulled out of her memory of Obi-Wan's visit the day before, and focused back on the meeting. "That's what I know from what Anakin and Obi-Wan have individually told me, and from a letter Anakin wrote to Obi-Wan right after it happened."

"The first step to this will be proving that Anakin could not have killed the Jedi masters. We will need an expert in the subject of lightsabers, and to find out the _exact_ times of death of the three Jedi masters. We will also need prints taken off of the lightsaber that Sidious, and to compare it to those of Anakin and of the late Chancellor." Helgo said, writing it down as he spoke.

"I'll stop by the forensic department later today, I have connections there." Riyo offered, shrugging. "Old friend of mine is head of the department, I'm sure he would be more than willing to provide the data."

"Good and I am going to visit the scene of the crime at eleven today. I have an eye for details that others tend to miss." Jinka said, a sly smile on her lips. "They are keeping the crime scene intacted till six tonight, so ill have plenty of time to poke around."

"Right, and Padme," Helgo started, turning his head to the Senator as he addressed her. "I would like to meet Anakin today, and I would appreciate it if you came with me. I believe he will be more likely to talk with you present."

"That’s sound great, what time where you thinking?" Padme responded, feeling an excited flutter in her chest at the thought of seeing Anakin again, even if it was with Helgo present.

"Noon good with you?"

"Perfect, but I must warn you, the first time I visited Anakin yesterday, I waited for almost four hours in a visitor's room. But when I went in unofficially late last night, there was no wait. However that most likely had to do with the _Senior Undersecretary_ not being there. He has been… rather difficult." She repressed a scowl as she thought of the fowl man.

"I shall call ahead than, and if that does happen, I shall raise my complaints with someone a little higher up on the food chain." He smiled at her for the first time, and Padme couldn't help but smile back. She was starting to like these siblings quite a lot. 

"Excellent, I shall meet you in the Grand hall than?" She asked, a smile still on her face.

"That will work just fine." Helgo said, and stood up, quickly followed by the other three. "I think that shall do it for today, shall we meet back here again tomorrow morning, same time?"

"I'll be here." Riyo responded, and Padme nodded as well. They all shook hands, and the two Senators and Jinka exited the office.  The three women made small talk as they left the building, Riyo setting off in the opposite direction as the other, headed to the police headquarters, well Padme and Jinka set off towards the Senate building.

"Would you care to grab an early lunch before going to the senate building?" Padme asked, glancing at her watch. "It's an hour to your meeting, unless you had other matters to talk car of at the Senate building first of course."

"Lunch would be lovely." Jinka said happily. "Ever been to Ferrio's?"

"I can't say I have." Padme answered honestly. "You'd be surprised how much of Coruscant I haven't explored. The senate keeps me pretty busy."

"Well for a senator as determined as yourself, I could certainly see that."

**_We Pretend it's Alright_ **

Anakin had woken to find himself laying on a cot craved into the wall that morning, with no memory of how he had gotten there, and a slight headache. And taking a look around his cell, he came to realize it was a standard max-security cell, not whatever grimy hovel they had thrown him in yesterday. Someone had evidently moved him, and it seemed Olingen had been just as surprised as he was.

"Enjoying the new room, 95746?" Olingen had said when he entered the cell a few hours earlier, his voice filed with a quiet anger. "I was just as surprised as you are to discover that _someone_ ," He growled, and his eyes flashed with anger, "Took it open themselves to move to you here. Too popular amongst some of the clones you are, _General Skywalker_. Wouldn't have thought that would be a problem till now." He muttered the last part more to himself as he paced around the now brightly light room.

After a half an hour of throwing questions and insults at Anakin and receiving nothing more than silence, the foul man had left, stating that he would be back soon enough, and that he break Anakin sooner or later.

Now the rested young man sat cross-legged on the slab of metal that severed as a bed, his eyes closed, but his mind focused on the sound of footsteps approaching him.

"Water."

Anakin slowly opened his eyes and saw a clone standing in front of him, holding a gray, plastic cup filed with what he assumed was water based of the clone's statement.

The Jedi nodded to the clone, silently thanking him. With a wave of his hand, the cup zoomed out of the clone's hand and into his own, causing the guard to jump.

"How did he do that?" The clone said, stunned, and the one standing next to him whacked him on the shoulder, well Anakin gulped down the water feverishly. He had always hated being thirsty, that dry taste in his mouth so unpleasant. It reminded him of his years on Tattooine.

"Don't be thick, Pyke. He's a Jedi." Pyke's companion said, and Anakin assumed he was rolling his eyes under his helmet. Anakin lip curled upward, and he inclined his head to the clone, giving a little mock-salute. To his surprise, the second clone removed his helmet, and Pyke followed suit.

"Oh right, of course." Pyke grinned sheepishly. "Thanks Striker."

"Yeah, this Jedi was a general, commanded the 501." Striker told, Pyke, and there was a sense of respect in his voice. "Was one of the best, I heard."

"I'd like to think I still am." Anakin croaked, his raw and scratchy from being silent for so long. There was a hint and annoyance and amusement in his tone, and the two clones looked at him in surprise.

"Thought you weren't speaking?" Striker asked suspiciously. "They told us you were feigning mute or something."

Anakin snorted, rolling his eyes and leaning back against the wall behind him.  "Who told you that? _Olingen?_ "

"A superior officer." Pyke answered, shrugging. "Why are talking now?"

"I have been _advised_ not speak to those who are trying to get information out of me. I don’t think talking to two soldiers will do me much harm." Anakin noticed them straighten up when he addressed them as soldiers. He has come to recognize that sense of pride from the 501.

"With all due respect, I don't think if you will be returning to the battlefield anytime soon." Striker told him, and Anakin chuckled, looking down at his cuffed hands.

"That you may be right about." Anakin looked back up at clones, a tired smile on his face. "Any chance I'll be getting any food soon time soon? Or more water?"

"Not sure about the food, but from what I've heard, you will be delivered one cup a day." The clone called Pyke informed him, and Anakin nodded, a blank expression on his bruised face.

"Pyke ten looked down at a beeping comm on his wrist, and looked back at Striker."I have a patrol to lead, you good here?"

"Yeah, go on."

Pyke nodded, and marched out of the cell, the three layers of protective doors closing behind him.

"So," Anakin said, leaning back against the wall, his hand behind his head. "What's the outside like?"

"What?" Striker looked at Anakin, a puzzled look on his clean-shaven face.

"You know, the world outside of this little cell? War still raging on? What's everyone saying about me? What's the hot gossip? I'll take anything, a guy can only meditate for so long."

"The war has not ended. I was in battle no more than three days ago." Striker responded, leaning against a wall behind him, and maintaining eye-contact. "The death of the Chancellor has not caused to galaxy to stop, despite what many believe."

"Oh yeah? Then what are doing here? The capital ran out of cell guards?" 

"I belong to the 327th Star Corps. Some of us were ordered back to Coruscant in order to guard you. It seems you are a very high-risk prisoner."

Anakin scoffed at that, rolling his eyes. "Soldiers of the 327, some of the best, taken out of battle for guard duty. Ridiculous."

"I quite agree. No disrespect, but this is a waste of our skills."

"Hopefully you'll be returning to the 327 soon. I can't imagine they would keep me here for too long. Too much of a risk." He chuckled again.

"I believe they intend to move you to a max facility after the Jedi trial, but you didn't here that from me." Striker gave him a sly smile that Anakin couldn't help but return. He was starting to like this clone very much.

"I have to admit, I once selfishly positioned one of my best men to guard someone, and I got quite an earful from both him and the person, about how it was a waste of his talents, and I was being foolish. Looking back I understand where they were coming from, but I also knew I wanted my best to be guarding what was important to me, selfishly. So apparently, if they have the best guarding me, I must be pretty important, huh?"

"Sir- uh I mean prisoner 95746- you are being held for killing the leader of the republic, not because of your… importance."

"I know, but still." Anakin laughed quietly to himself. What was he even saying?  "Of course I agree that you should be fighting the war and whatnot. Maybe if I promise not to escape they'll let you go back? What do you think?"

"I think that plan might need a little work."

Anakin laughed again, Striker's words reminding him so much of Rex. He suddenly longed to be back with the 501.  He longed for the late nights of battle strategizing, of joking around with Rex, of teasing Ahsoka. He missed Ahsoka more than he even express. He missed her banter, her sharp mind, her wit. What he wouldn't give to see her one more time…

The two metal doors slide open, and the ray shield deactivated as five clones entered the now cramped cell.

"We are to escort 95746 to Family room seven." The lead clone informed Striker, who nodded in understanding. He and the clone who had just spoken stepped forward, and pulled Anakin to his feet. The group of six escorted him through many hallways and up a staircase yet again, passing many other guard that seemed to be check points on the way. The finally reached a long hall with about four doors going off of it. One of these days was opened, and Anakin was lead into a small room with a large table in the middle of it. There were four chairs around it, and Anakin was at down in one of them, and his hand cuffs then attached to a shackle point on table in front him, preventing him from moving for the chair as his legs were also cuffed to the chair legs.

"Wait here." A clone told him, and they all left, the door slamming shut behind them.

"As if I have any other choice." Anakin muttered to himself, letting his head roll back and staring bored at harsh florescent lights above him.

For twenty minutes Anakin sat heir, staring at the ceiling and thinking about all the different ways her could attempt to escape the facility. His favorite included trading clothes with a clone, and just sneaking out before anyone realized he wasn’t a clone, or that the clone wasn't him. Of course he would do nothing of the sort, for multiple reasons, but it was something to pass the time.  About a half an hour after he been put in the room, the door opened and Padme and a twi'lek he didn't know where escorted inside by four clones. Anakin made to stand up, but quickly reminded of his restraints as he was pulled back down into his seat. The twi'lek nodded at the clones, and they left, the door closing behind them

Padme quickly walked over to wear Anakin was, and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek. When she straightened up, she motioned to her companion. "Anakin this is Helgo Gehlert, of Gehlert and Gehlert, the firm I told you about last night. We are going to be over your case, ad what will happen from here out. Are you feeling… better? I know last night…" She trailed off, and Anakin quickly reassured her that he was fine now.

"Yeah it wore off by the time I woke up this morning. And Mr. Gehlert," He know turned to address the man he was just introduced to. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm sure you will be of great assistance in this… mess."

 "Likewise Mr. Skywalker. I have heard quite a lot about you."

Anakin raised his eyes at Padme, and she rolled her eyes, suppressing a smile.

"All good I'm sure?" Anakin joked as his visitors sat down around the table, Padme to his right and Helgo across from him.

"While, I wouldn't be here then, would I?" Helgo retorted, and they shared a laugh. "Now," Helgo proceeded, opening a file he had brought with him. "Padme has filled us on what happened that night. That the Chancellor was manipulating you to join him because of someone you cared about, yes?"

"That's about what happened." Anakin confirmed, and he shot a questioning look at Padme while Helgo looked down at a document in front of him. She gave a slight shake of her head, and he nodded, understanding that she was confirming that she had not revealed that she was the person in question.

"Now you're case will be no ordinary one, for quite a few reasons. One, you are accused of murdering the leader of the Republic, which is no small crime. Along with the fact that you are a well known war hero and Jedi, we expect this to be the most publicized cases in recent history."

Anakin gulped, nodding his understanding. He really wished this wouldn't be so big, as that would put even more stress and press on Padme, but what had he honestly expected?

"A major aspect of this case will be changing the public opinion. If we can get the public to believe that you are innocent, the rest will be a lot easier. We need the public o relate to you, to sympathize for you. For this reason, I think we should play up the romance angle of the story."

"What!" Both Anakin and Padme had exclaimed at the same time, looking at Helgo in disbelief.

"But what about him being a Jedi?" Padme asked. "It will make him look worse if everyone knows he broke the code."

"No, it only will make the Jedi think less of him. Most people know very little of the Jedi, let alone the Code. But a forbidden romance? The public will eat it up. "

"What if I don't want to put a spotlight on the person?" Anakin asked cautiously, resisting from looking at his wife.

"We wouldn't need to, the idea is enough. It will send the media into a continuous guessing game, and they will be even more wrapped up in that then the details of the case."

"You think people will be more interested in who I love then the crimes I am accused of?" Anakin asked incredulously.

"Most will, people are easily distracted. What will be harder will be convincing them of the late chancellors true identity." Helgo added, his thought scrunched in thought, and Anakin couldn't even begin to think of how to convince citizen's of the republic that their leader had been a Sith lord. He was sure barley any of them had even heard of the Sith, let alone would understand what that meant.

"Perhaps once e get the results on the red lightsaber back, it will help." Padme suggested. "Also giving the public a crash course in how the Jedi and Sith differ would be good." Helgo said thoughtfully.

"Speaking of Jedi," Anakin jumped in, leaning forward. "Does anyone know what is happening with that? Theoretically, shouldn't I be in there custody now?"

"Yes, but because of the chancellor's involvement, the police are refusing to hand you over. From what I have heard, it seems the Jedi will be coming to the Senate Building for a private trial sometime in the next few days, so be ready for that. We will not be there for obvious reasons, and have no involvement what so ever. Most likely after that, you will be transferred to a high max security while you await trial."

"Great. A place full of criminals who hate me, and protected by guards that hate me as well. Should be a bundle of laughs."

"Try to avoid any fights, as it will reflect poorly on you in trial, regardless of the circumstances. Speaking of that, what happened to your face?"

"What?" Anakin said stupidly, staring blankly at the lawyer.

"Your injuries." Padme prompted, giving him a look.

"Oh right, this is the fine work of Senior Undersectary Pronlin Olingen."

"I see..." Helgo wrote something down on the paper in front of him. "And how often has this happened?"

"Twice that I can think of. And he drugged me last night too. Said he wanted to repress my force abilities or something like that." Anakin added, shrugging. "Didn't really have the effect he wanted."

"Are you planning on bringing up abuse of the suspected in the case?" Padme asked curiously, the thought having crossed her mind last night.

"Anything is possible, and the more the people sympathize with Anakin, the better." He gave a short smile, before standing up, closing the file and holding it under one arm. "You can expect me this time tomorrow, and I would advise you to continue not to speak to anyone who might be involved in the prosecution. In till your Jedi trial, we shall not communicate anything to them. I'll leave you two to discuss."

He nodded to them, and walked to the door, rapping sharply on it.

"Thank you for taking my case. I know how risky this is for your business." Anakin said, and Helgo looked back to him.

"It is a risk we are willing to take. We will win this case Mr. Skywalker, you have my word on that." He nodded again as the door opened. The twi'lek exited, and the door shut again loudly behind him.

"Are you as confident as him?" Anakin asked, half-joking as he looked back to Padme.

"We have a shot." Padme admitted, the corner of her lips curling up. "It's just going to be long battle. I had lunch with Jinka today, the other head lawyer at this firm, and she thinks it won't be hard to prove that you didn't kill the Jedi. What will be hard will be proving that the chancellor was Sidious, and that you killed him in self-defense."

"Was it really self-defense? I mean I was trying to bring him in-"

"He attacked you. You didn't start the fight." She pointed out, and he conceded.

 "Are you really worried about the high-max Prison?" Padme asked, and Anakin sighed.

"I'm not scared or nervous that something will happen to me. I just worry that it will stir unnecessary trouble. But don't worry about we, I think I can handle my-self." He added, seeing the concern on her face. "Oh by the way, I was thinking you might not to leave that bounty out for too long, could attract unwanted personnel."

"About the bounty, I actually had a visit from someone last night about it." Padme added, trying to sound causal.

"What? Where? What happened?"  Anakin asked at once, sitting up in his chair.

"It was Ventress actually."

"She is way too dangerous Padme-"

"It was fine Anakin." She cut him off, giving him a look that clearly said be quiet. "She gave me some holo recordings of Sidious, and said that she had something bigger coming soon."

"Alright, but it would be better if you meet in a public place, so she can't do anything."

"Anakin I'm not worried about her. She said herself that she doesn't hurt pregnant ladies, and I believe she is more concerned with being paid then exacting some revenge on the Jedi through hurting me."

"Okay…"

"Did you know Sidious had her stalk you for a while?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Back again with the longest chapter yet, and from here, the chapters will be a little more plot driven, as much of the set up has been covered now. Also, some familiar faces will be appearing next chapter, so that's something to look forward to. 10 points to anyone who can guess who!


	8. The First Verdict

**_We Pretend it's Alright_ **

**_Chapter Six_ **

**_The First Verdict_ **

**_Words- 7,376_ **

"Summoned, you have been. In this meeting, your fate as a Jedi, determine we shall, young Skywalker." Master Yoda's words echoed through the large courtroom. The Jedi council sat above Anakin, who was kneeling on a floating platform in the middle of the chamber, magnetic cuffs binding him to the small floor. The Jedi and the Republic had argued for five days over his fate. The Jedi had wished for him to be taken to the temple and tried there, but the Republic had flat out refused to allow Anakin to leave the Senate building, where he would be out of their control and therefore a higher risk of him escaping.

However, a Jedi could not be tried in court for serious charges without being judged by council previously, or without the council's approval. The compromise was the Jedi were allowed a private hearing, but in the Senate Building instead of the Temple's court chambers.

"Much thought, given this have we, young Skywalker. But first listen to your defense, shall we." Anakin looked up at his masters, his face expressionless, and the bruises darkened his face illuminated in the low lighting accustomed with the council's meetings. His recognized Obi Wan under his cloak immediately, and suppressed the slight anger that flared inside of him at the sight of the man who had betrayed him. He took a deep breath, looking down again, away from the council as he gathered his emotions.

"Stand and tell us, Skywalker, what happened the night at the Senate building when three of our own and the Chancellor were murdered." Anakin recognized Master Plo-Koon's voice, though he too was concealed by a cloak.

Anakin got to his feet, keeping his head bowed, and began to speak.

He recounted his meeting with the Chancellor, when Sidious first revealed himself to Anakin, and how after that he had gone to the temple, and had informed the first master he had happened across, which had been Mace Windu. He explained how Windu had then told him to stay behind, and had the gone after Sidious with the three other Jedi masters. He spoke of how he had at first stayed away, as he had been ordered, but eventually went to the senate building.

"Why did you feel the need to go the Senate building?" Master Mundi questioned."Why not let the masters handle the situation?"

Anakin took a deep breath. It was time. He had pondered two things in the past five days of his isolation.  One, what was Padme doing right now? And secondly, and more prominent, he debated whether or not to reveal his marriage and impending fatherhood to the Jedi council during his trial. If he didn't, he knew it would come out eventually, just leading to more problems down the road, and it also left a hole in his story. Why he return to the Chancellor's office, if he had no reason to? But if he did, he would surely be expelled from the Jedi order.

"Sidious promised me something." Anakin started slowly, still looking down. He did not notice Obi Wan suddenly lean forward, as he realized what Anakin was about to do. "The chancellor promised to teach me a power that he said I could not learn from the Jedi."

"And what is this power you speak of?" Master Shaak Ti prompted, eyes narrowed in thought.

"The power to stop death. To be able to save someone from dying." Anakin answered, his voice growing softer.

"And why would was this so important to you?" Shaak Ti inquired, curious.

"Because I needed to save someone." Anakin voice was a dull monotonously sound, as the memory of his dreams flashed through his mind once more. He had to believe that he had done the right thing in killing Sidious, that that was what the dreams were warning him of.

But a small piece of didn't believe that. It believed that Padme was still in danger, and that the only way to save her had died with Sidious. If she did die, Anakin didn't know if he could go on without her.

"Trying to save, who were you?" Master Yoda croaked, eyeing him with a knowing look that made Anakin sure that the ancient Jedi already knew.

"I was trying to save someone I loved." Anakin admitted, finally looking up at the council as he spoke, and he saw many eyes narrow at his words.

"Believed you did, die this person would?" Yoda questioned, his eyes possessing that ever present gleam of understanding and wisdom that could be matched by no other.

"I had visions of her death, just like I did before my mother died. After my mother died and I couldn’t save her, I decided I would never let that happen again." Anakin fought to keep his voice steady, fighting to stay in control.

"Very conflicted, you are." Yoda observed. "Consume you, your emotions do." 

Anakin took a breath to calm himself, hating that the others could sense his emotions so easily. "I'm sorry Masters. I sometimes find it difficult to ignore all my feelings."

"Not ignore, young Skywalker. You must learn to better control your emotions, instead of letting them control you." Master Shaak Ti corrected. "You must not let them influence you, but think with the logic and let the force will guide you."

"I respectfully disagree." Anakin stated, his eyes returning Shaak Ti's stare, and his voice growing more confident. "I believe my emotions are not a hindrance as you suggest, but rather a tool.  The force reacts to them, and well I agree that constant unbalanced feeling can be hard to work with, channeling and utilizing emotion has made me stronger, and a better Jedi."

"You say that emotions make you stronger, a better Jedi? Yet you are here because of these so called useful emotions. Because you did not think with logic, because you were consumed by your feelings, you made the choices that lead you to this trial. You, young Skywalker, may have become more powerful, but this does not make you a better Jedi." Her voice was cool, and she continued to stare him down. Anakin did not look away from her gray gaze in till Master Plo spoke.

"This discussion is not the point of Anakin's trial." Plo pointed out, and a few others nodded in agreement.

"If we are to assess Skywalkers status as a Jedi, we must take all factors into account. This view that he has expressed does not reflect the ways of the Jedi." Shaak Ti defended, but then added, "Though I do agree we have spoken enough on the topic for now."

"Thank you." Master Plo turned back to Anakin, and said, "Anakin, did you inform any member of the Jedi order of these… visions?"

"No, I did not wish to share, as in part I feared that it would only draw attention to my connection to this person."

"Why would you worry about that?"

"I doubted the council would approve."

There was a moment's hesitation, before Plo finally asked the question they had been dancing around. "What is your relationship with this person?"

Anakin was silent for a moment, but he knew there was no going back. He had gone too far to turn back now.

"We are romantically involved." Anakin answered, and he as he said this he looked up at the council, unashamed.

His declaration was meet with an eerie silence. Some stared down at him, while others exchanged looks. Master Plo-Koon's head was bowed, and Obi Wan had a bittersweet smile on his lips.

"To what extent is your relationship?" Shaak Ti asked, her voice inquisitive, as she watched Anakin very closely.

"We are rather close, and we married about three years ago in secret." Anakin answered, maintaining eyes contact with the Jedi master. A part of him felt a small weight off his shoulder, a weight that had been there since their relationship began. Hiding his marriage wasn't easy, especially to those closest to him. And he had actually failed at that in many ways. Both Ahsoka and Rex had found out, and now Bail Organa and Obi Wan knew as well… and apparently Ventress?

"You are aware that The Code forbids this kind of attachments, are you not?" Shaak Ti asked, her eyes narrowing.

"I am." Anakin answered coolly.

"And yet you decided to break the code and become form an attachment to this person?"

"Yes."

"Are you aware of what happens to Jedi who severely break the code, Skywalker?"

She was treating him as though he were a small child in caught in the wrong. The way so talked down to him was infuriating, but Anakin did not let his frustration show on his face, knowing it would only hinder him. "I am aware of this."

Shaak Ti leaned back, her face now draped in shadow like the rest of the masters. A murmuring too quiet for Anakin to hear was rippling throughout the council. He stood in silence, and his gaze now rested upon Master Plo, wondering what he thought of this. Anakin had thought of confiding in him a few times, but had always shot down the idea at once. It had always been so important that no one know, but now…

He wasn't going to reveal Padme's identity, but how long would it take someone to put it together? She was the only prominent woman in his life outside the order, and as hard as they tried to publicly distance themselves, it wouldn't be that hard for someone to link the two of them together.

"What happened once you arrived at the Chancellor's office?" Obi Wan's words drew the gaze of his fellow masters, and for the first time that night Anakin's as well. "I do believe we had left off there, correct?" Obi Wan stated, looking at his fellow council members pointedly, silently daring one of them to challenge him. There was silence for a moment before Master Plo spoke up.

"Master Kenobi is right." Plo Koon agreed, nodding to Obi Wan and then looking back to Anakin. "Please continue, I do believe we still have a lot to cover today."

Anakin gathered his thoughts, pulling himself out of the momentary flash of something that Obi Wan's words had put him, and focused again on remembering the details of what had happened. 

"When I arrived in the Chancellor's office, Masters Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin were lying on the floor dead and Master Windu had Sidious cornered on the window ledge behind his desk. Master Windu had his saber to Sidious's neck, and Sidious started to beg for my help." His voice was once again the dull, lifeless monotone that this story brought him too. He sincerely hoped this was the last time he would have to tell it, but that was wishful thinking.

"Sidious tried to gain my allegiance, telling me to think of my wife, and that without him and the powers of the dark side, she would suffer a long and terrible death, and that it would be my fault. Windu ignored what Sidious was saying, and told me that Sidious was too dangerous to be kept alive, something that later I came to agree with. I just stood there, frozen. I didn't know who I should help."

"At what point did you realize that Sidious was manipulating you?" Master Plo asked, his voice still level.

"Sidious tried to attack Master Windu with force lightning, but Windu was able to defend against it, the lightning then striking Sidious. Sidious then started begging for my help, telling me to think of my wife, that I would be condemning her to die, and Windu ordered me to his side. At that second, I listened to Sidious, I thought of my wife. It was then that I realized just what it would mean to her if I turned dark, and turned against the Jedi and the Republic. It I turned to the dark side, it would of destroyed me, and in extent her as well."

The council was silent as they waited for Anakin to finish, all entranced by the story.

"Masters, I almost never became a Jedi because I was told I had to much fear inside of me. The first time I ever arrived at the Jedi temple, I was turned away. A nine year old salve that had never been off Tattooine before, because of the fear that I felt."

"Skywalker I fail to see how this is relevant that the events in question." Shaak Ti interrupted, leaning forward.

"Let him speak." Master Plo countered, giving Shaak Ti a pointed look. "This is his trial, and he has the right to defend himself the way he chooses."

Shaak Ti leaned back, an impatient look on her thin face.

"Continue." Master Plo said, and Anakin did.

"As I was saying," And here he shot a small look of contempt at Shaak Ti. "My whole life as a Jedi, I have dealt with having stronger emotions then other Jedi, and here was the ultimate test of that. My fear had indeed driven me so close the dark side I will admit. But it was an even more powerful emotion that brought me back. My love won out over my fear. I told Windu I was with him, and started to move towards his side."

"Then how did Master Windu end up on the streets below, if you were helping him?" Shaak Ti asked, and others nodded agreement, curious. "The fight should have been over there. You both together should have been able to overpower the Chancellor."

"The Chancellor wasn't as defenseless as we believed. The window had been shattered before I arrived, and when Master Windu looked at me when I spoke, away from Sidious, as I believe he thought the Chancellor was subdued, Sidious attacked him with force lighting, and threw him from the window."

"So we are to believe that Master Windu was overpowered simply because he looked away?" Shaak Ti asked incredulously, her voice disbelieving.

"Believe what you want. That's what happened." Anakin shot back, a steely demeanor in his eyes and voice. "As someone who has been attacked with force lightning many times, I can confirm that it is almost impossible to resist its effects if you are prepared, let alone unsuspecting as Master Windu was."

The corner of Obi Wan's lips lifted at Anakin's words. It wasn't that what he said was anything to smile about, but the memories of all the missions and battles they had fought together in came flooding back to him when Anakin mentioned  the fact that he had been attacked with force lightning so many times. The man certainly did have a knack for getting electrocuted. 

"Anyway, after Master Windu was thrown, Sidious attacked me and we began to duel. The whole time he screamed all sorts of things about my wife and her death at me, trying to get me to give into my hate and fear, and therefore back under his control. At one particular comment, something inside me broke loose. It wasn't due to hate or fear, but more to do with the force. It was a supernatural feeling, almost as if I became one with the force, something I hadn't felt since…" Anakin trailed off, and looked down, suppressing his thoughts of Mortis, the force planet that often consumed his thoughts.

"Regardless, something rose up in me, something I can't fully explain as I don’t fully understand it myself, but before I realized what i was doing, Sidious was thrown against the wall, and collapsed to the ground, the back of his head shattered and bloody." 

"And after this you just… left?" Master Shaak Ti asked, her voice no longer hostile, but softer and more curious.

"Yeah, probably not the best choice, but I wasn't thinking clearly. I was in a state of shock. I could barely walk out of the building, let alone think of how to handle the situation."

"And you went where?" Master Mundi asked curiously.

Anakin paused. What should he say here? If he told them he went to Padme's it would be pretty obvious that she was his wife. But she was his alibi, and he hadn't prepared another answer for this. Plus, it was most likely going to come up in future of the case anyway, wouldn't it?

"I, umm, went to Senator Amidala's apartment, and explained to her all of what happened."  He noticed a few Jedi exchange looks, and he didn't like the expression on Shaak Ti's face.

"You went to the home of Senator Amidala?" She asked, though the hostility was still at a minimum.

"Yes." Anakin confirmed, keeping his voice steady.

"And why did you go to Senator Amidala's apartment, why not return to the temple?"

"Well, we are old friends, and-"

The sound of Obi Wan coughing interrupted Anakin, he looked up his old master, wondering why he had interrupted him. The look on his face was one Anakin had received many times. It was a face of exasperation, and he knew Obi Wan was nonverbally telling him to quit the charade. Basically, if Anakin didn't tell them, Obi Wan could not promise that he wouldn't.

"Well, I suppose that isn't entirely the truth." He took a deep breath, mentally psyching himself up for this, not really sure what fresh hell this was going to release.  "You see, Senator Amidala and I… we, eh, might be involved"

"Might?" Obi Wan interrupted, giving Anakin the same look as before.

"Ok we are married, she is my wife, and she is the person that I was trying to save." Anakin explained hurriedly, avoiding eye contact with Obi Wan, and instead watching Master Plo's reaction. But he could not read Master Plo's expression, nor any of the other Jedi Master's. 

To try and break the awkward silence, Anakin immediately started talking again, attempting to act as if he hadn't said anything shocking.  "And after I talked with her-"

"You are married to Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo?" Master Aayla Secura questioned, speaking for the first time, and disregarding Anakin attempt to steer the conversation away from this matter.

"Yes, I am." Anakin confirmed.  Master Secura had not been on the council before and he guessed she had been appointed along with a few others now that there were four empty seats to fill.

"Isn't Senator Amidala with child?"

This was not going well for Anakin.

****

**_We Pretend it's Alright_ **

**_(The night before)_ **

"Sir."

Padme did not turn around at the call, sure it wasn't directed at her. It was such a rare occurrence that anyone would address her in that way, that she didn’t even give a second thought to the voice at first.

"Sir- umm, Madam Senator."

This stopped her. Not only did he address her, but she now recognized the voice. Padme lowered her hood and turned around. Standing just in front of her was Rex, Anakin's trusted Captain, and someone she had also come to know quite well.

"Captain Rex, so good to see you." Padme greeted, offering a smile that she usually reserved for happier times. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes actually." He returned her smile, but it was only half-heartedly. She noticed his glances around the hall, and that he seemed a little on edge. "Would you mind if we talked in your office?"

"Not at all, please follow me." Padme agreed at once, now curious as to what had the clone so tense. She quickly led him back down the hallway she had just walked through. It was past eleven in the evening now, and the halls were light dimly, most others already having left the building. It had been three days since her first meeting at Gehlert and Gehlert, and she hadn't gone home at a reasonable time since, and not to mention getting a good night's sleep. With all the stress, and the size of her stomach at this stage of her pregnancy, she often found it very hard to get comfortable.

Plus she missed having Anakin next to her, which affected her more than she would have expected. It wasn't as though they had regular correspondence with both of their schedules, and it wasn't as often Anakin was able to spend the night. Perhaps it was that she knew exactly where he was, or maybe it was just the hormones, but she found herself increasing missing her favorite Jedi more and more. She hadn't been to visit him for the past two days either, and that certainly didn't help.

She had been extremely busy with the case, and other senate business, as she was the leader of severs committees, and helping Bail with the upcoming election. No to mention the fact that she was seven and a half months pregnant, and wanted nothing more than to be laying on a beach on Naboo, her feet up and Anakin at her side, holding her tight.  But right now that fantasy was as far away as Naboo was.

"So Rex, what can I help you with?" Padme asked kindly as she sat down on the purple couch in her office, Rex sitting down on a chair across from her.

"Sir, the 501 is desperate for news about General Skywalker." He started and Padme noticed as he spoke the small scar of the top left hand side of his head. She remembered seeing something similar on another member of the 501, and she made a mental note to ask Anakin about it.  "We haven't been able to find anything out besides that he has been arrested for murdering the chancellor and some Jedi. It doesn't seem like General Skywalker to do something like that for no reason. I know the two of you are…" Rex hesitated, and Padme gave him a reassuring nod, telling him it was alright to continue, "Well, close, and I thought you would be the best person to come too."

"Well," Padme started slowly as she placed a hand on her abdomen, "you certainly are right about me and Anakin being _close_ , and I am heading his case." She leaned forward, and he followed suit, staring determinedly at her.  

"Rex, you have always been loyal to Anakin, and a good friend whom I trust completely. This may not be the wisest move on my part, as if the wrong people found out what I am going to tell you, it could be very damaging to Anakin's case, but I trust that you will protect this information."

"Of course Sir, I am honored you trust me enough to share this information."

"Yes, and might I remind you that Padme is fine. You are so involved in our lives, I admit it feels strange to hear you call me sir."  She teased lightly.

"Sorry Sir- I mean, well, force of habit I suppose." He gave a slight smile and Padme proceeded, as any sense of discomfort ebbed away.

She gave him an overview of what had happened in the Chancellor's office, omitting the details about Anakin's need to save her from dying, and more focusing on the events. It wasn't that she was worried about Rex knowing about her and Anakin's relationship, as she and Anakin where both pretty sure that both Rex and Ahsoka had figured it out.  She just didn't mention it as she didn't want to give out to many specifics this soon in the trial. She then explained the legal situation they were in, about the Jedi trial and that Anakin would be soon moved to max facility.

"Max?" Rex asked, "He's certainly not going to have a lot of friends in there."

"I know, I just hope he can stay out of trouble. The last thing he needs right now…" Padme trailed off, staring unfocused out the window, her eyes filled with worry and slightly wet.

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Rex reassured her, though he felt a bit out of his element. Comforting upset, heavily pregnant senators was certainly not in his training, but he did his best. "General Skywalker can handle himself. Most will be scared to mess with him, or they'll respect him because they think he's on their side now. Either way, he'll do just fine."

"You're right of course, I just… I think I just need to sleep." She said, giving a watery chuckle, and Rex returned her smile, standing up.

"Of course, I've kept you too late, it's almost midnight." He helped her to her feet. "Sir- um, Senator Amidala, will you allow me to escort you home? You might be a target for people looking to get at General Skywalker, and in your condition and at this hour, it would be wrong for me to let you leave her unguarded."

Padme was rather taken aback by his words. "Oh I'm sure would be fine, but I would certainly appreciate the company." She smiled, and he returned it, and the two made their way out off her office, and down to the main hall, all the while discussing the upcoming trial lightly.

"Proving he didn't kill the Jedi will be relatively simple, the hard part will be convincing people that Palpatine did, and that he was a sith lord, hell-bent on destroying the Republic." Padme explained, as they approached the front doors. "We are going to have to rely on character witnesses for a lot of it."

"Who are you planning on using?"

"Well, a lot will depend on what happens with Anakin's Jedi trial, but certainly Master Kenobi, and a few other Jedi masters hopefully. We are also planning on asking you, and a few other members of the 501. I have a few senators I need to talk too, but I just hope it will be enough. Anakin doesn't have that many people close to him, especially since Ahsoka…" She trailed off, and a silence fell over the both of them.

"Have you heard anything from Commander Tano recently?" Rex asked, trying not to impartial, but Padme could hear the sorrow in his voice. Anakin wasn't the only person hurt by Ahsoka's decision to leave.

"No. Anakin tried the old Jedi frequency they used to use again, right before his arrest, but I've been monitoring it and there has been no response." The senator responded sadly, as she flagged down a taxi that was approaching.

"I heard from a member of the 356st legion she might have been spotted on Garel three months ago, but none of us were ever able to follow up on that. But now the 501 has no general, and are numbers aren't what they once were." Rex sighed, as they both entered the taxi. "I'm not sure what will happen to us. Our legion has been ordered out of combat, and most of us are all waiting around for something to do."

"Do you think they will disband you?" Padme asked worriedly, hoping for their sake that wasn't the case.

"I'm not sure what they'll do, but we are sick of doing nothing, that's for sure." Rex said, a frown on his thin lips. His face was scrunched in thought, and after a moment he asked, slowly, "Sir, would Commander Tano's testimony do a lot for General Skywalker's case?"

"Yes, definitely, and she can speak from the point of view of a Jedi as well." Padme explained, wishing now as the prospect of having no other Jedi testifying seemed more possible that she could find Ahsoka.

"Would you say that finding her could be classified as Senate business, and authorizing a group of my men to leave Coruscant with the mission of finding Commander Tano and bringing her here to testify a possibility?" He asked, a sly smile on his face as the taxi slowed as it approached Padme's apartment complex.

A smile spread over Padme's tired face as well, and she paid the driver, before stepping out of the speeder, followed by Rex. "I certainly believe that something along those lines is possible. Can you bring me tomorrow morning by ten a list of clones that you are bringing, and just a basic pre-mission report that I can sign off on. It will be a private republic mission, and if anyone questions you, you can tell them that it is in Senate ordered mission in preparation for Anakin Skywalker's trail."

"Excellent Sir, thank you. I shall have the report for you tomorrow by ten. Shall I bring it to your office, or…?"

"I will be having a meeting here in the morning, so if you bring it up to my apartment that would be fine.

"Top floor, number sixty-seven?" Rex double-checked, still smiling and all right going through lists of men in his head who he was thinking of recruiting for this mission.

"That's right. I'll see you in the morning then Captain."

"Of course Sir, and thank you again. Are you sure you don't want an escort up to your apartment?"

"Oh no, thank you. I'm sure I'll be fine. And no thanks necessary, it's you who are doing me a great service. Good night and good luck." She said, and he wished her a good night as well, before setting off the bar he knew many of his fellow men would be.

Padme watched him watch away for a moment, before heading into the building, and up the elevator, back to her apartment. The prospect of this mission excited her, but she also knew that there was a very slim chance it would be successful.

As she got into bed twenty minutes later, she debated whether or not she would tell Anakin about the mission when she saw him tomorrow. Eventually she decided against it, as she didn't want to risk him getting his hopes up, and being once again crushed by the weight of Ahsoka's disappearance. It would be too much to burden him with right now, as he had enough other things the worry about.

**_We Pretend It's Alright_ **

**_(Resume Trial)_ **

An instant chatter broke out amongst the council at Master Secura's words. Anakin could not make out what anyone was saying, but he didn't need to know what they were saying. If they hadn't made their decision before, they certainly had now.

"You and Senator Amidala are expecting a child?" Master Mundi asked, the shock evident in his voice.

"Twins actually." Anakin muttered, thinking he might as well put it all out there now. No use in trying to hide anything at this point. A small smile formed on his lips as he spoke, despite the circumstance.

"Were you planning on telling the council of your impending fatherhood?" Master Ti asked incredulously, exchanging a look with the master next to her.

"We hadn't really decided what to do yet." Anakin said halfheartedly, before adding with contempt in his voice, "But it doesn't matter anymore, does it? You know now, and you will make your decision based off the information I have shared. Do you have any other questions masters?"

"All, that will be, young Skywalker." Master Yoda said calmly, with that all knowing tone that always present in his voice. "To make our decision, enough we have. Review your case, the council will.  Return tonight, we shall. Judge you then, we will." Master Yoda declared, before bowing his head, his eyes closed and appearing to be deep in thought.

Following his statement, four guards entered the room, and Anakin's platform zoomed back towards the entrance, where he was bound, and taken out of the room rather roughly.

"Individually on this matter, think. At the temple in five hours, confer we will. At day's end return here to young Skywalker, we will."  With that statement, the Jedi masters all collectively stood and exited the chamber, some grouping to discuss with each other. Obi-Wan soon found himself walking next to master Plo-Koon. The two masters were not particularly close, but Obi-Wan knew Anakin often sought guidance from Plo-Koon.

"Did you know?" Plo-Koon asked Obi-wan after a few moments of silence had passed between them.

"I found out a few days ago." Obi-Wan admitted, keeping his gaze forward. "But I didn’t honestly expect him to disclose it all here." Obi-Wan trailed off. "What do you suppose the council will decide?"

"Well, personally I do not wish for young Anakin to be expelled from the Jedi Order, but it cannot be denied that he did break the code to quite an extent."

"Jedi have had relationships before." Obi Wan pointed out half heartedly.

"Yes, but not to the emotional depth that Skywalker has taken his too, nor did they sire children." Plo Koon added, and Obi Wan had to agree with him.

"That you are right about. I just can't help but think that by expelling him from the order will be something we will later come to regret." Obi Wan said, as they walked down the front steps of the Senate building, which was not a pleasant feat. Groups of citizens still lined the bottom of the steps, along with numerous reporters, making passing through here very unpleasant.

"Are you going to try to persuade the council in favor of Anakin staying in the order?" Plo asked after another few moments of walking silently.

"I wish I knew. Anakin is like a brother to me, and I truly believe that he is a good Jedi, and good person. But I cannot ignore that he did break the code he was sworn to uphold. Nor can I promise that he wouldn't do it again. I know Anakin, and he will choose his family over the Jedi." Obi Wan admitted, feeling the weight that now always seemed to be on his shoulders. "I wish that I could say differently, but that's the truth."

"But we also cannot forget that he killed Sidious. Had he not, the havoc Sidious would of wreaked could have destroyed the galaxy. "Plo pointed out.

Obi Wan nodded, but did not reply. He certainly did not wish for Anakin to be expelled from the order, but honestly did not see an alternative outcome. Not only would this possibly push Anakin closer to the dark side, but it would drive more a wedge between them. Not to mention that it be very unlikely that Anakin would receive any help from the Jedi in his upcoming trial if he were expelled, something that he could definitely benefit from, especially because his case was so intertwined with Jedi and Sith affairs.

The group of Jedi Masters slowly separated as the group made their way back to the temple. Members went off in their own directions, with their own destinations in mind, in till Obi Wan found himself walking alone with Shaak Ti

"What do you think of Skywalker's testimony?" She asked, her voice neutral and her head facing forward as they walked.

"I believe him, for a few reasons, but I can understand those who would doubt points of his explanation. Do you doubt what he says?" Obi Wan inquired, keeping his voice light and conversational.

"I do not believe he is lying to us, but the circumstances of Master Windu's fall seem questionable to me." Shaak Ti turned her head, and her bright grey eyes watching for Obi Wan's reaction to her next words.  "Skywalker will be expelled from the order, Master Kenobi. He has broken the code, and dabbled too much with the dark side. He is too much of a risk to have in the Jedi order."

"I do not doubt that the council will expel him. He has strayed too far from the path of a Jedi to ignore. However, he is extremely powerful, you cannot deny that. The force reacts to him in a way I have never seen before, and he is right in saying that in his case, his emotions do make him stronger. But I cannot deny that it risk that comes with that. But can you answer this?" Obi Wan turned to meet her gaze. "What risk are we taking by cutting him loose from the order?"

Shaak Ti frowned, looking away from her peer's blue gaze and instead up the Temple they were now approaching. She did not answer his question, and Obi Wan made no further comments as he moved away from her, heading up the front steps of the temple, intent on heading to his quarters to meditate.

**_We Pretend It's Alright_ **

"The council has made its decision." Master Secura's voice echoed throughout the Chamber as Anakin stared up at her expressionless, waiting for her to say the words he knew where coming. "Anakin Skywalker, as of today you have been expelled from the Jedi Order for breaking the code that you swore to uphold."

Anakin bowed his head. He didn't know what to feel, what to say, what to do. All the thoughts that had been circling around in his mind before he had received his verdict were gone. He was left with a strange sense of emptiness, something he couldn't quite describe.

"However," Anakin looked up, but there was no glimmer of hope in his eyes. "The Jedi council has decided to support you in your upcoming trial. We will be contacting your lawyers, and explaining to them that although you are no longer a Jedi, you still will receive our aid, as this case is heavily intertwined with Jedi affairs. "

That would be a relief to Padme, even if it did little for Anakin.  Having the Jedi's support would be huge in this trial, and if they hadn't had it…

"But as of this point, you are longer under the protection of the Jedi Order." She added, and Anakin nodded.

"I understand." He said quietly, still looking down at the ground. The anger he had expected to come hadn't. He was not mad at the council. He had made his choice, and so had they. A sense of loss filled him suddenly, and felt overwhelmed. What was he going to do know? His whole life had been dedicated to the Jedi order. He was a general, a leader. What about the 501? What would they do without him now that Ahsoka was gone as well?

"Do you have anything else to say?" Shaak Ti asked, and Anakin looked up at the council.

"I am sorry to have failed as a Jedi in your eyes. I never meant to betray the order, but I made my choice, and you have made yours. But," And his voice grew in confidence as he spoke. "I do not regret the choices I made regarding my family. Perhaps this is an opportunity to create a new life for myself and my family, and I thank you for giving me this chance." Anakin honestly did not know where that had come from, but it did reflect how he felt. This was the end of one chapter of his life, but the beginning of a new life with his family, if he lived through the next few months that was just beginning.

"May the force be with you Anakin." Obi Wan found himself saying, and he sincerely meant it as he looked down at his old padawan and friend with grief, hoping this would not be the last time they say each other.

"May the force be with you Master." And the ex-Jedi gave his former master a small smile, though he still did not know how to feel about what Obi Wan had done.

The platform Anakin stood began moving towards the entrance of the room as a large group of clones entered the room.  He held eye contact with Obi Wan in till he reached the main floor, and his cuffs were detached from the platform. After making sure that the cuffs on his hands and feet were secure, the clones surrounded him and they began to move, leaving the chamber, and starting down a dark hall they had not come through. As the continued to walk Anakin realized they were not going back to the lower levels where he had been kept before.

"Where are we going?" Anakin asked casually, and he stumbled a bit as a trooper pushed him forward, as he was evidently walking to slow.

"Be quiet 95746."

Anakin did not recognize the clone's voice, and he rolled his eyes. It wouldn't kill them to give him any information, but he supposed Olingen had ordered them not to tell him anything. They walked in silence for another few minutes, walking through back halls that looked like they not seen the light of day for many years. Anakin briefly wondered what time it was, but refrained from asking, knowing it would be pointless.

He had been hoping that Padme would have been able to see him today, but as of yet she had not. If she did not come today, it would have been three days since she had last seen him. He had meet with a Helgo Gehlert the past few days, expect for today, but it wasn't the same as being with Padme for obvious reasons. Right now he really needed to talk to someone. This was all a lot to take in, and he didn’t quite know how to handle himself.

Anakin was taken out of his thoughts as he walked into the trooper in front of him, and bounced back, rubbing the bruise on his shoulder.

"Watch where you are going 95746." But Anakin knew that voice, and he could hear the humor in Striker's words.

"My apologies." Anakin smirked, as he rolled his shoulders back, trying to relive the soreness. "I'll be more aware of where I am going next time."

"That's enough out of you." A different clone said, and Anakin fell silent as he looked around. They had entered a gray room, with little in it besides some benches and spare parts. The large door in front of them was what interested Anakin. He could hear voices coming from the other side of it, and what sounded like a ship. But Anakin didn't have to wonder for long as the door opened upwards, and the group moved through it, the clone behind him nudging him forward one again.

They walked into a large hanger, and Anakin found himself surrounded by clones on all sides, and saw to his horror that waiting at the entrance of the shuttle he had heard was Olingen, as if this day couldn't get any worse. Four of the six clones that had escorted him peeled away from the group, and he was left with two leading him towards Olingen, and they each grabbed one of his arms as he had started to slow down, not wanted to be any closer to Olingen then he had too.

"95746, how nice of you to join us." He sneered, and Anakin had a strong urge to throw him out the hanger door.

Anakin did not reply. He still had not spoken to Olingen, and he doubted he would ever give him the satisfaction of hearing him speak.

"Still not talking, are you? Well, will see how you feel after a couple months in max. I just hope you'll be physically able to talk next time I see you." She said with a menacing smile that Anakin did not return.

He was pushed forward again onto the shuttle and the anger that had finally come to him was overpowering. He could see the ramp onto the shuttle begin to shake, and he tried to calm himself and regain control of force abilities. The last thing he needed was any trouble if they suspected he was trying to escape, or hurt anyone.  

Anakin refused to look at Olingen as he was escorted past him and onto the shuttle, all ready full of ten armed Clones.  Once on board, Anakin was pressed down into a seat and locked in. The last thing he saw before the door of the shuttle closed was Olingen's sinister smile, and striker nodding to him behind the Senior Undersectary's back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Here we go a new chapter and… the Jedi Trial! I do my best to write characters, but I do have my own take on different characters. So let me know what you liked, what you think could use some work, or whatever else! Please review though! It really helps to get other people's opinions and I could really use 'em. I hope everyone enjoyed this, and had a good holiday!  
> Till the next chapter!  
> -Diamondgirl3;)

**Author's Note:**

> This is my second Star Wars story, and I darker approach to the "Happy ever after" approach to the end of the prequels. I have been working on this for a long time, and as I am posting longer chapters, I won't be posting as frequently, but I will try to post once a month.  
> Thanks for reading and please review to let me know what you think!  
> Till the next chapter!  
> -Diamondgirl3;)


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